Asylum seekers in need receive direct benefits for accommodation, food, heating, clothing, health and personal care as well as consumer goods for the household (essential needs). In addition, benefits are provided in the event of pregnancy, illness and other possible life situations with increased financial needs. Furthermore, asylum seekers receive benefits to cover personal needs in daily life (necessary personal needs, so-called pocket money).

This is regulated by § 3 AsylbLG and distinguishes between the phase in which asylum seekers are accommodated in a state initial reception center and the phase in which they are accommodated in municipalities.

- Section 3 (1) AsylbLG: During accommodation in an initial reception center, necessary needs are covered in the form of benefits in kind. The necessary personal needs should also be covered as far as possible by benefits in kind.

- Section 3 (2) AsylbLG: In the case of accommodation in shared accommodation or apartments in the municipalities, the necessary needs are generally covered by cash benefits - this depends on the respective municipality. The necessary personal needs are provided as cash benefits. Priority is no longer given to benefits in kind.

The amount of cash benefits and the value of benefits in kind are mainly based on the standard needs levels of social assistance and the benefits for unemployment benefit II recipients (SGB II and XII) and, like these, are regularly adjusted following a constitutional court ruling.

After 18 months of residence, asylum seekers are generally entitled to the same benefits as social welfare recipients under SGB XII - they are called "analogous benefits" because they correspond to the benefits under SGB XII, i.e. they are analogous to them.

However, it should be noted that income and assets that can be disposed of must be used up before benefits under the AsylbLG are paid.