Free housing in Germany under question: which Ukrainians may have their living conditions changed
Ukrainian refugees in Germany are increasingly faced with the fact that social support depends on decisions of local authorities, the situation on the housing market and the date of arrival in the country. Due to the shortage of apartments and the overloading of the accommodation system, some Ukrainians may lose the opportunity to live in separate housing at the expense of the state, if the authorities revise the conditions of support after the end of the current period of temporary protection.
Who is at risk of moving out of social housing
Some Ukrainian refugees in Germany may be offered to pay the rent themselves or move to collective accommodation centers. The risks primarily concern unemployed Ukrainians who live in separate apartments at state expense and receive Bürgergeld.
Special attention is paid to Ukrainians who arrived in Germany after April 1, 2025, as they already have a less extensive package of social rights. In some regions, newly arrived refugees are offered dormitories or other collective living spaces, while previously many Ukrainians could count on individual apartments or private houses.
The housing problem in Germany has been exacerbated by the lack of affordable housing, which affects both local residents and people who have arrived under temporary protection. According to the German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development, the country lacks about 800,000 residential real estate units.
Due to this shortage, local authorities in some states are already changing their resettlement practices. New Ukrainian refugees are more often sent to dormitories, camps or collective centers, since there are not enough individual apartments for everyone.
What may change after March 2027
After March 2027, according to the lawyer’s forecast, Ukrainians may retain temporary protection, but the amount of social guarantees may be less than at the beginning of a full-scale war. This means that some refugees will have to look for housing on their own, pay rent or agree to live in collective centers.
Working Ukrainians who pay for their own rented accommodation should be affected much less by these changes. The main pressure may fall on those who depend on social benefits, do not have a stable income and use housing paid for by the state.
The European organization FEANTSA, which deals with homelessness, has previously drawn attention to the situation of Ukrainian refugees in the EU. The organization’s report noted that the reduction in support could make it more difficult for Ukrainians to access housing in Germany and increase the number of people who will find themselves without a stable place to live.
For Ukrainian families, this situation can be especially difficult if they do not have a job, savings or the ability to quickly find affordable rent. Against the backdrop of a shortage of apartments, even those who are willing to pay for their own accommodation may face high prices, competition on the market and landlords’ requirements for proof of income.
What else may affect social support
Ukrainians who receive Bürgergeld should also take into account the rules of employment centers. If a person refuses a job offer without a good reason, benefits may be reduced or suspended, which will further complicate the payment of housing.
Therefore, for refugees who depend on state benefits, several factors become important at once: residence status, date of arrival in Germany, availability of work, the decision of the Jobcenter and the housing policy of a particular federal state. It is the combination of these circumstances that will determine whether a person will be able to continue living in a separate apartment at the expense of the state.
