Social assistance
The social assistance provided by the City of Luxembourg's Office social (Social Welfare Office) is intended for people residing legally in Luxembourg City who are in need.
Objective
- To enable people to gain or maintain independence and live with dignity
- To provide people in need with access to goods and services that are suitable for their specific situation, while helping beneficiaries to gain or maintain their independence
The Office social is intended to serve only as a supplementary resource, stepping in when all other resources have been exhausted.
What services are provided?
- Financial assistance: Support for housing, energy, healthcare, including the third-party payer system (tiers payant social – TPS) and other essential needs
- Material assistance: Access to the food bank, furniture, clothing or other necessary goods
- Administrative support: Assistance with completing administrative procedures such as those related to:
- Benefits (cost of living, rent subsidy, additional benefit in accordance with the law on social inclusion income (revenu d'inclusion sociale – REVIS), etc.),
- Joining the social security system,
- Official declarations (at the Bierger-Center, etc.).
- Personalised social support:
- Creating a tailored assistance plan,
- Providing referrals to specialised services in case of urgent need (shelters, crèches, counselling, etc.),
- Acting as an intermediary with third parties (for example, lawyers, court officers, Familljen-Center, psychiatrists, the National Office for Children [Office national de l'enfance], etc.),
- Assisting with budget and financial management,
- Supporting applicants until their individual situations have stabilised.
Who is eligible for assistance from the City of Luxembourg's Office social?
Anyone residing legally in Luxembourg City, provided that they:
- Meet the criteria set by the current laws and regulations.
- Have exhausted all resources available to them.
Exclusions:
Certain categories of persons are not eligible for social assistance:
- Persons applying for international protection, who will be served by a system that is specific to their situation
- Persons who have obtained a residence permit further to an undertaking by a third party to cover their needs
- Foreign students who move to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to pursue education or professional training
- Nationals of a European Union Member State or of another state that is a member of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation, and members of such persons' families (regardless of their nationality), during the first three months of their residency in Luxembourg, or during the period when they are seeking work, if they enter Luxembourg for that purpose. This exception does not apply to salaried or non-salaried workers, or to persons who retain this status, or to members of their families, whatever their nationality
- Persons residing temporarily in Luxembourg
- Persons who are subject to preventive detention measures or penalties depriving them of their liberty, except during prison leave
Application
How do I apply?
- Contact the Office social: Schedule an initial interview by phoning 4796-2358 or by sending an email to officesocial@vdl.lu. Please make sure to provide your Luxembourg national health number (CNS) when making your application.
- Gather your documents: Bring your Luxembourg national health (CNS) card, a form of ID, your residence permit, proof of income and any other documents that are relevant for assessing your situation.
Who may apply?
Individuals in need of assistance may contact the Office social directly. In addition, other institutions or bodies may also contact the Office social, such as hospitals and other social services, the police, the Agence pour le Développement de l'Emploi (National Employment Agency – ADEM), the Inter-Actions Service Surendettement (over-indebtedness information and consulting office), individuals, family, neighbours, etc.
