Sanction on the Grundsicherungsgeld: lodging an objection

Jobcenter · legal remedy under §§ 31–32 SGB II

In writingDeadline: 1 monthJobcenter

Last updated31 August 2026

Legal basis§§ 31, 31a, 31b, 32 SGB II · § 84 SGG

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Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta

Independent information page: we are not the Jobcenter, not an authority and not a paid advisory service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent body is always binding. Not legal advice in an individual case. Procedures and areas of responsibility may vary depending on the Jobcenter. All information without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures (Behördengänge) and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.

Grundsicherungsgeld instead of Bürgergeld — what changed in 2026

The benefit is now called Grundsicherungsgeld. The Act on the Restructuring of Basic Income Support for Jobseekers (Bundestag 5 March 2026, Bundesrat 27 March 2026) has been taking effect step by step since 1 July 2026; the SGB II was most recently amended by Article 1a of the Act of 16 April 2026 (BGBl. 2026 I Nr. 107). § 19 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGB II has since referred to the benefit as Grundsicherungsgeld (basic income support benefit for jobseekers, formerly Bürgergeld), and §§ 31a and 32 SGB II also use this term in their wording. Anyone who still speaks of Bürgergeld means the same benefit — you submit the application at the Jobcenter unchanged.

The 30% limit is no longer the upper limit. § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 1 SGB II limits the reduction to a total of 30% only for repeated breaches of obligation and for failures to report. If a reasonable job is not taken up, the entitlement to benefits lapses under § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 1 SGB II, by way of exception, in the amount of the entire standard needs rate.

Three missed reporting appointments can cost the entire entitlement. Under § 7b Abs. 4 SGB II, if three consecutive reporting appointments are missed, the entitlement to benefits lapses entirely — after one transitional month, this also applies to the accommodation benefit. A personal appearance at the Jobcenter is therefore the most effective way of limiting the damage.

The legal route has remained unchanged. The one-month time limit for an objection (Widerspruch) under § 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG, the time limit for lodging an action under § 87 SGG, freedom from court costs before the Sozialgericht (social court) under § 183 Satz 1 SGG and the lack of suspensive effect under § 39 Nr. 1 SGB II all apply as before. Notices from before 1 July 2026 remain effective.

Required documents

Original reduction or sanction notice — It is the basis of the entire procedure: it shows the file number, the date of the notice, the provision relied on (§ 31, § 31a Abs. 7, or § 32 SGB II), the amount and duration of the reduction, and the instructions on legal remedies (Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung). Be sure to also keep the envelope or the printout of the posting, because the date of receipt determines when the time limit begins. If you only have an electronic delivery in your inbox, save a screenshot with the date.

Letter of objection — A short text with your name, the number of your Bedarfsgemeinschaft (community of need), the date of the contested notice, and the clear statement that you are lodging an objection is sufficient. You may expressly submit the statement of reasons later; what matters is that the statement is received within the deadline, in one of the forms under § 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG, by the body that issued the notice. Make a copy for your own records.

Hearing letter and your statement — Before a reduction, the Jobcenter must give a hearing under § 31a Abs. 2 SGB II in conjunction with § 24 SGB X. Attach the hearing letter and your reply to the objection; if a hearing was missing entirely or was incomplete, this is one of the most common grounds for setting the decision aside. If you requested a personal hearing and it was not held, document this in writing.

The document on which the breach of obligation is based — That is, the request to report together with the instructions on legal consequences, the job offer, the measure assignment, or the cooperation plan. Only from this can it be checked whether the request was sufficiently specific and whether correct instructions on legal consequences were given. If you are missing a letter, request it through access to the file — more details on the cooperation plan can be found on the relevant page.

Evidence for the good reason — This includes certificates of incapacity for work, medical certificates, proof of a hospital stay, evidence of childcare that fell through or care for relatives, as well as proof of cancelled trains or buses. Each piece of evidence should cover the specific date of the appointment and be issued close to the event. Submit copies and keep the originals.

Evidence of exceptional hardship — Under § 31a Abs. 3 SGB II, the reduction does not take place if it would mean an exceptional hardship in the individual case. Substantiate special circumstances accordingly: pregnancy, minor children in the household, chronic or mental illnesses, ongoing treatment, homelessness, or an imminent forced eviction. Medical certificates and letters from advice centres are the strongest evidence here.

Current approval notice and bank statements — They show what amount was actually withheld, and whether the amounts paid for accommodation and heating were reduced contrary to § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 2 SGB II. Calculation errors in implementing the reduction are an independent ground for objection. Also check whether one euro a month was approved for the duration of the reduction (§ 31a Abs. 4 Satz 3 SGB II).

Power of attorney or advisory assistance certificate for representation — If you have yourself represented, the authorised person needs a power of attorney signed by you; without it, the Jobcenter will not provide information or grant access to the file. For legal assistance in the objection procedure, apply for an advisory assistance certificate (Beratungshilfeschein) at the local court (Amtsgericht). The certificate should be obtained before the first appointment with a lawyer.

Step by step

Read the notice carefully and note when the deadline starts

First note when the notice was received by you, because the one-month time limit under § 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG runs from notification. Then check what the Jobcenter relies on — a breach of obligation under § 31 SGB II, a failure to report under § 32 SGB II, or the refusal of a reasonable job under § 31a Abs. 7 SGB II: the amount and duration of the reduction depend on this. Also check the cut-off period (Ausschlussfrist) in your favour: under § 31b Abs. 1 Satz 3 SGB II, the finding of a reduction is only permissible within six months of the breach of obligation. If the instructions on legal remedies are missing or incorrect, the time limit for the objection is extended to one year under § 66 Abs. 2 SGG.

Lodge the objection within the deadline — even without a statement of reasons

Do not wait until you have all the evidence together. § 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG allows four routes: in writing, in electronic form under § 36a Abs. 2 SGB I, as a substitute for written form under § 36a Abs. 2a SGB I and § 9a Abs. 5 OZG, or to the record (zur Niederschrift) at the body that issued the administrative act. You can therefore also appear in person at the Jobcenter and have the objection recorded there. State the file number, the date of the notice, the sentence "I hereby lodge an objection", and the note that the statement of reasons will be submitted later. Secure receipt through an Einwurf-Einschreiben (registered letter delivered to the recipient's letterbox), a date stamp on your copy, or the inbox's confirmation of transmission. If notification is made abroad, the time limit is three months (§ 84 Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGG).

Request access to the file and build the statement of reasons

Apply for access to the file under § 25 SGB X and have the records on the breach of obligation copied for you. Check three points: was a proper hearing held before the reduction under § 31a Abs. 2 SGB II in conjunction with § 24 SGB X? If you requested a personal hearing, was it held in person, and, in cases of known mental illness as well as before a third consecutive failure to report is found, was it held in person? Was there clear, comprehensible instruction on the legal consequences? Then set out your good reason and substantiate it. In the case of a reduction under § 31a Abs. 7 SGB II, challenge the elements of the provision specifically: taking up the job must have been actually and immediately possible and must have been refused intentionally — if either element is missing, the reduction does not hold.

Consider interim relief in the case of an ongoing deduction

Under § 39 Nr. 1 SGB II, an objection and a rescissory action (Anfechtungsklage) against a notice finding the breach of obligation and the reduction of the entitlement to payment do not have suspensive effect — the money therefore initially remains reduced. Because the reduction period lasts only one to three months depending on the case, the sanction has often already expired before the objection is decided. The application for an order of suspensive effect under § 86b Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 SGG at the social court is therefore the practically most important legal remedy. It is free of court costs, can be submitted alongside the objection, and is decided in urgent cases within a few days to weeks. Base it on the specific emergency, not merely on the unlawfulness of the notice.

Actively ending an ongoing reduction

Independently of the objection, you can shorten the sanction yourself: under § 31a Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, the reduction must be lifted as soon as you fulfil your obligations, or subsequently declare, seriously and lastingly, that you are willing to fulfil them in future. Under § 31b Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II, the reduction must have lasted at least one month for this to apply. Make the declaration of willingness in writing, specifically, and verifiably — for example by undertaking to attend the next appointment or to begin the measure. In cases under § 31a Abs. 7 SGB II, the reduction is lifted after one month if the possibility of taking up the job no longer exists, but at the latest after two months (§ 31b Abs. 3 SGB II).

Evaluating the ruling on the objection and claiming costs

If the Jobcenter grants the objection, it sets the notice aside in whole or in part and pays the withheld amount retroactively. In this case, expressly apply for reimbursement of the necessary expenses under § 63 SGB X; this also includes lawyer's costs, if engaging a lawyer was necessary. If the objection is rejected, read the Widerspruchsbescheid (ruling on the objection) point by point: it must address your good reason and the hardship assessment under § 31a Abs. 3 SGB II. Note the date of notification immediately, because the time limit for lodging an action starts running from it. Important for securing a means of subsistence: under § 31b Abs. 4 SGB II, there is no entitlement to supplementary assistance with living expenses under the SGB XII during the reduction.

Filing a legal action before the social court

Under § 87 Abs. 1 Satz 1 in conjunction with Abs. 2 SGG, the time limit for lodging an action is one month from notification of the ruling on the objection. The social court of your place of residence has jurisdiction; you can bring the legal action in writing or to the record of the court registry. The procedure is free of court costs for benefit recipients under § 183 Satz 1 SGG, and there is no mandatory representation by a lawyer under § 73 SGG. The statistics temper excessive expectations: in 2025, 53,164 legal actions were filed under the SGB II — 4,379 more than the previous year — and 52,858 were concluded; in around two thirds of cases the Jobcenter's approach was confirmed, while in just under one third the legal action led to a new decision.

After the deadline: request for review under § 44 SGB X

If you have missed the objection deadline, the notice becomes final — but the case is not lost because of that. Through the request for review under § 44 SGB X, the Jobcenter can subsequently withdraw an unlawful administrative act that is not favourable to you. An important restriction applies for the SGB II: under § 40 Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, a period of one year replaces the four-year period under § 44 Abs. 4 Satz 1 SGB X, so benefits are provided retroactively for at most one year. Submit the request informally, specifically name the notice, and attach the evidence that was missing in the original procedure.

Fees & costs

Procedure / item	Costs
Objection to the Jobcenter	No fee
Legal action before the social court (§ 183 Satz 1 SGG)	Free of court costs
Application for interim relief under § 86b Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 SGG	Free of court costs
Lawyer in the objection procedure	Advisory assistance (BerHG)
Lawyer in the legal action procedure	Legal aid (PKH) under § 73a Abs. 1 SGG
Reimbursement in the case of a successful objection	Necessary expenses (§ 63 SGB X)
Abusive legal action	Costs for fault (§ 192 SGG)

Free of court costs does not mean free of cost in every respect. § 183 Satz 1 SGG makes the procedure before the social courts free of cost for insured persons, benefit recipients, recipients of survivors' benefits, and persons with disabilities, to the extent they are involved in that capacity. § 183 Satz 5 SGG, however, excludes § 192 SGG among others: in the case of abusive legal action, the court can impose costs for fault. You initially bear your own lawyer's costs yourself; they are only recoverable if you win, under § 193 SGG.

Advisory assistance for the objection, legal aid only for the court action procedure. For the pre-court objection procedure there is no legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe), but advisory assistance (Beratungshilfe) under the Beratungshilfegesetz — the certificate is applied for at the local court (Amtsgericht) of your place of residence, and the advisor may only charge a low statutory personal contribution. In the legal action procedure, legal aid is governed by § 73a Abs. 1 SGG in conjunction with §§ 114 ff. ZPO and requires sufficient prospects of success, no abuse of process, and financial need. It is therefore not granted automatically.

One euro a month secures health insurance coverage. If the reduction alone would mathematically result in no entitlement to benefits at all, Grundsicherungsgeld of one euro a month is approved for the duration of the reduction under § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 3 SGB II. This one-euro approval is not a formal error, but keeps up membership in statutory health and long-term care insurance. If it is missing from the notice, you should expressly raise this in the objection.

Important notes

30% is not the upper limit. The limit to a total of 30% in § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 1 SGB II applies to repeated breaches of obligation and failures to report. Under § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 1 SGB II, by contrast, the entitlement to benefits lapses in the amount of the entire standard needs rate if a reasonable job is not taken up. The provision, however, requires that taking up the job was actually and immediately possible and was refused intentionally — both elements must be specifically substantiated in the notice.

Rent is protected, but not in all circumstances. § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 2 SGB II provides that the amounts paid for accommodation and heating that result from the calculation may not be reduced by a benefit reduction. In cases under § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 3 SGB II, however, the Grundsicherungsgeld for accommodation and heating for the entire Bedarfsgemeinschaft is to be paid to the landlord or other recipients entitled to it. And under § 7b Abs. 4 SGB II, the entitlement lapses entirely if three consecutive reporting appointments are missed.

Six months — the most important time limit in your favour. Under § 31b Abs. 1 Satz 3 SGB II, the finding of a reduction is only permissible within six months of the breach of obligation. If the notice is based on an event further in the past, it is unlawful for that reason alone. Always compare the date of the breach of obligation with the date of the notice.

Exceptional hardship rules out the reduction. § 31a Abs. 3 SGB II provides that a benefit reduction does not take place if it would mean an exceptional hardship in the individual case. This is one of the central grounds for objection and is often dealt with only formulaically by Jobcenters. Describe your situation specifically — illness, pregnancy, children in the household, impending loss of housing — and substantiate it.

No valid notice without a proper hearing. Under § 31a Abs. 2 SGB II, a hearing under § 24 SGB X must be given before a reduction is found, in person if requested. In cases of known mental illness and before a third consecutive failure to report is examined, a personal hearing is required. A hearing that was missing or incomplete is one of the most common grounds for setting a decision aside in the objection procedure.

The sanction does not always run for three months — and it can end earlier. The reduction period for breaches of obligation under § 31b Abs. 2 Satz 1 SGB II is three months, for failures to report under § 32 Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II one month, and in cases under § 31a Abs. 7 SGB II, under § 31b Abs. 3 SGB II, one up to a maximum of two months. Under § 31a Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, the reduction must be lifted as soon as you fulfil your obligations or declare, seriously and lastingly, that you are willing to fulfil them in future — but at the earliest after one month (§ 31b Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II).

No falling back on the Sozialamt (social welfare office). During the reduction, under § 31b Abs. 4 SGB II there is no entitlement to supplementary assistance with living expenses under the SGB XII. Plan early, therefore, how you will bridge the reduction period, and talk to debt or social advice centres before rent arrears arise.

Realistic prospects of success instead of wishful figures. In 2025, 476,728 objections were decided under the SGB II; 147,213 led to a change in the decision (around 31%), 291,515 (61.14%) were rejected or withdrawn, and only 42,303 cases were due to the Jobcenter applying the law incorrectly. Because in just under half of the successful objections it was only documents submitted later that made the new decision possible, the rule is: complete evidence decides the procedure (source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit).

The objection does not stop the deduction. § 39 Nr. 1 SGB II withdraws suspensive effect from notices that find the breach of obligation and the reduction of the entitlement to payment. If you need the money immediately, the application for interim relief under § 86b Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 SGG is the right route; it runs alongside the objection and is free of court costs.

Common mistakes

Letting the one-month deadline lapse

After one month from notification, the reduction notice becomes final. Then only the request for review under § 44 SGB X remains — and there, because of § 40 Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, benefits are provided retroactively for at most one year, not four years as elsewhere in social law.

Relying on the 30% limit

Anyone who assumes that at most 30% may be deducted underestimates § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 1 SGB II: if a reasonable job is refused, the standard needs rate lapses entirely. The result is one to two months without any standard benefit at all — with the exception of the one-euro approval to secure health insurance coverage.

Lodging only an objection, without also applying for interim relief

Because § 39 Nr. 1 SGB II excludes suspensive effect, the deduction continues throughout the entire objection procedure. Because the reduction period often lasts only one to three months, the sanction has regularly already expired before a decision is reached — the application for interim relief under § 86b Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 SGG then remains the only way to get money quickly.

Leaving the hearing letter unanswered

Anyone who does not respond in the hearing procedure under § 31a Abs. 2 SGB II in conjunction with § 24 SGB X gives up their good reason: the Jobcenter then decides solely on the basis of the file. In the objection, you then have to painstakingly substantiate the facts after the event, and evidence that was not obtained close to the time is hardly ever possible to replace later.

Missing further reporting appointments

Under § 7b Abs. 4 SGB II, if three consecutive reporting appointments are missed, the entitlement to benefits lapses entirely: for one calendar month, Grundsicherungsgeld is still provided without the benefits covering the standard needs rate, after which the accommodation benefit also lapses until the end of the approval period, unless a personal appearance takes place. In the extreme case, this puts the home itself at stake.

Only announcing the objection by phone

§ 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG recognises four forms — in writing, electronically under § 36a Abs. 2 SGB I, as a substitute for written form under § 36a Abs. 2a SGB I and § 9a Abs. 5 OZG, or to the record at the authority. A phone call is not one of them: the deadline continues to run unchecked, and the notice becomes final.

Making claims without evidence

In 2025, 291,515 objections under the SGB II — 61.14% — were rejected or withdrawn. A certificate, proof of childcare, or proof of job applications often decides the case more than the legal arguments, because in just under half of successful objections a new decision was only possible once documents were submitted later.

Failing to make the declaration of willingness

Without a declaration under § 31a Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, the reduction runs for the full period of up to three months. Anyone who, by contrast, declares, seriously and lastingly, that they are willing to fulfil their obligations in future can end the sanction after the minimum month has elapsed (§ 31b Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II) — which is often faster than any legal remedy.

Frequently asked questions

May the Jobcenter deduct more than 30%?

Yes. The 30% limit under § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 1 SGB II applies only to repeated breaches of obligation and failures to report. If an employable person entitled to benefits does not take up a reasonable job, the entitlement to benefits lapses, by way of exception, in the amount of the entire standard needs rate under § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 1 SGB II. The requirement is that taking up the job was actually and immediately possible and was refused intentionally — this is exactly where an objection should focus.

Is the rent reduced in the case of a sanction?

Generally not: under § 31a Abs. 4 Satz 2 SGB II, the amounts paid for the costs of accommodation and heating that result from the calculation may not be reduced by a benefit reduction. In cases under § 31a Abs. 7 Satz 3 SGB II, however, the Grundsicherungsgeld for accommodation and heating is to be paid to the landlord or other recipients entitled to it. Under § 7b Abs. 4 SGB II, the entitlement even lapses entirely if three consecutive reporting appointments are missed, so that after one transitional month the accommodation benefit also lapses.

How long does a benefit reduction last?

For a breach of obligation, the reduction period under § 31b Abs. 2 Satz 1 SGB II is three months, for a failure to report under § 32 Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II one month. In cases under § 31a Abs. 7 SGB II, the reduction is lifted after one month if the possibility of taking up the job no longer exists, but at the latest after two months (§ 31b Abs. 3 SGB II).

What are the prospects of success for an objection?

The Bundesagentur für Arbeit decided 476,728 objections under the SGB II in 2025, of which 147,213 led to a change in the decision — around 31%. 291,515 objections (61.14%) were rejected or withdrawn, and only 42,303 cases (around 9%) were due to the Jobcenter applying the law incorrectly. In just under half of the successful cases, a new decision was only possible during the objection procedure, because missing documents were submitted later or obligations to cooperate were fulfilled.

Do I have to accept the deduction during the objection?

Initially, yes: under § 39 Nr. 1 SGB II, an objection and a rescissory action against a notice finding the breach of obligation and the reduction of the entitlement to payment do not have suspensive effect. The social court can, however, order suspensive effect on application under § 86b Abs. 1 Satz 1 Nr. 2 SGG. If the objection is later successful, the withheld amount is paid out retroactively.

In what form must the objection be lodged?

§ 84 Abs. 1 Satz 1 SGG allows four routes: in writing, in electronic form under § 36a Abs. 2 SGB I, as a substitute for written form under § 36a Abs. 2a SGB I and § 9a Abs. 5 OZG, or to the record at the body that issued the administrative act. The time limit is one month from notification of the notice, or three months if notification is made abroad. A mere phone call to the Jobcenter does not preserve the deadline.

What does an objection or legal action cost?

The objection procedure at the Jobcenter is free of charge, and the procedure before the social courts is free of court costs for benefit recipients under § 183 Satz 1 SGG; there is no mandatory representation by a lawyer under § 73 SGG. You initially bear your own lawyer's costs yourself: in the objection procedure, advisory assistance under the Beratungshilfegesetz helps, and in the legal action procedure, legal aid under § 73a Abs. 1 SGG in conjunction with §§ 114 ff. ZPO, which requires sufficient prospects of success, no abuse of process, and financial need. If the objection was successful, the necessary expenses are to be reimbursed under § 63 SGB X.

Can I end an ongoing sanction early?

Yes. Under § 31a Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II, the reduction must be lifted as soon as you fulfil your obligations, or subsequently declare, seriously and lastingly, that you are willing to fulfil them in future. Under § 31b Abs. 2 Satz 2 SGB II, however, the reduction must have lasted at least one month. The declaration should reach the Jobcenter in writing and verifiably.

What applies if the objection deadline has expired?

Then the notice becomes final and what remains is the request for review under § 44 SGB X. A special rule applies for the SGB II here: § 40 Abs. 1 Satz 2 SGB II sets a period of one year in place of the four-year period under § 44 Abs. 4 Satz 1 SGB X, so benefits are provided retroactively for at most one year.