Housing allowance in Denmark

If you live in rented accommodation with its own kitchen, you may have the right to housing allowance in Denmark. The amount you can receive depends, amongst other things, on your rent, the size of the home, the household’s income and wealth, and how many children and adults live in the home. If you live in a housing cooperative or owner-occupied dwelling, you may in some cases be able to receive housing allowance in the form of a loan.

Can you receive housing allowance for rented accommodation in Denmark?

If you live in rented accommodation with its own kitchen, you may have the right to housing allowance.

If you live together with others, only one person in the dwelling can receive housing assistance. Housing allowance is paid either to the person who submits the application, or to the housing association, which then deducts the amount from the rent.

The same rules apply if you sub-let. However, you should make sure that your landlord has informed the National Register that he or she no longer lives there, as the landlord’s income may otherwise affect your housing allowance.

Your right to housing allowance and the size of the amount depends, amongst other things, on your rent, the household’s income and wealth, the size of the home and how many people live there.

You can apply for housing allowance at borger.dk.

You must inform Udbetaling Danmark if your circumstances change – for example, if your income, rent or assets change, if someone moves in or out of the home, if you move house, or if you stay for a long time elsewhere, such as abroad.

Special rules mean that you may have the right to a larger allowance if you have been housed by the local authority, receive 24-hour care or have severely reduced mobility. See under “Særligt for dig” on the borger.dk page on housing allowance.

If you receive retirement pension, disability pension or senior pension, and live in a housing cooperative or owner-occupied housing, you can in some cases apply for housing allowance in the form of a loan. This also applies if you are severely physically disabled or receive citizen-administered personal assistance. You may also be covered if you live in Denmark and receive a corresponding foreign pension which is covered by the social security coordination rules.

You can read more about the loan and the terms under "Særligt for dig” on the borger.dk page on housing allowance.

Can you obtain a loan for a resident’s deposit in Denmark?

If you move into certain types of social housing built and occupied after 1 April 1964, you can apply to your local authority for a loan to cover your deposit. You can apply for a loan for an apartment or a single room, but you cannot apply for a loan for social youth housing that does not have a self-contained kitchen. You can read more at borger.dk.

More information on housing allowance in Denmark