A decision letter from the Jobcenter

What this letter is

A „Bescheid“ is an official decision. A Jobcenter Bescheid tells you what the Jobcenter has decided about your benefits — how much you receive, for which months, and on what basis.

It is not a letter asking your opinion. The decision has already been made. What the letter gives you is the reasoning and a period in which you can respond.

How to tell what it decided

Look for „Bewilligung“ (approval) or „Ablehnung“ (rejection) near the beginning. „Aufhebung“ means a previous decision is being cancelled, and „Erstattung“ means the Jobcenter wants money back from you.

Amounts are usually listed per month in a table, often under „Berechnung“ (calculation). The period the decision covers is given as „Bewilligungszeitraum“.

What it usually asks you to do

Many Bescheide ask for nothing at all — they inform you of a decision. Others ask for documents, often listed under „Mitwirkungspflicht“ or „bitte reichen Sie ein“ (please submit).

If you disagree with a Bescheid, the letter will name a period for a „Widerspruch“ (objection). Whether an objection makes sense in your situation is a question for a counselling service, not for a website.

The deadline that applies to you is printed on your own letter — usually near the top or at the end of the section describing what you must do. Look for a date, or a phrase such as „innerhalb von zwei Wochen“ (within two weeks) or „bis zum“ (by). Do not rely on a period you read online, including here: the same letter type carries different deadlines depending on why it was sent.