Housing Benefit (Boligstøtte)
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Danish Acts of Parliament (love), executive orders (bekendtgørelser), and official government guidance.
Danish National Law
What is this right?
Denmark provides means-tested housing benefits to help low-income residents afford rent:
- Boligsikring: Housing benefit for tenants — calculated based on income, rent, household size, and property size.
- Boligydelse: A more generous housing benefit for pensioners.
- The benefit is paid directly to you (or to the landlord by agreement) and is adjusted annually.
- There is a maximum eligible rent — benefit is not paid on rent above the cap.
- Children in the household increase the benefit amount.
When does it apply?
- You are a tenant in Denmark with a low to moderate income.
- You are a pensioner renting your home.
- You have a CPR number and a legal tenancy agreement.
What should you do?
- Apply through borger.dk or your local Udbetaling Danmark office.
- Provide your lease, income documentation, and household information.
- Report changes in income or household composition — overpayments must be repaid.
- If denied, you can appeal to Ankestyrelsen (the Appeals Board).
What should you NOT do?
- Don't fail to report income changes — if your income increases and you don't report it, you may have to repay benefits with interest.
- Don't assume you're ineligible — even moderate-income households with children may qualify for partial support.
- Don't confuse boligsikring with boligydelse — the pensioner benefit (boligydelse) is significantly more generous.
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