October 14, 2026
Boligydelse: housing benefit for pensioners in Denmark in 2026
Boligydelse is the housing benefit that old-age pensioners in Denmark can get towards their rent. It also covers people granted disability pension before 1 January 2003, and it is calculated on more generous terms than ordinary housing benefit (boligsikring). In 2026 boligydelse can be at most DKK 4,969 a month. If you are thinking of moving somewhere smaller or cheaper, see how rental waitlists work on Waitly.
Last updated: 13 October 2026.
In short
Boligydelse is 75% of the yearly rent excluding utilities plus DKK 8,500, minus 22.5% of household income above DKK 201,400. You must pay at least 11% of household income yourself, and at least DKK 21,300 a year. The maximum is DKK 59,628 a year. If you own your home or a cooperative share, the support is paid as a loan. You apply online through Udbetaling Danmark and use the same calculator as for boligsikring.
Who can get boligydelse?
You can get boligydelse if you receive the Danish old-age pension (folkepension) or an equivalent foreign old-age pension and live permanently in Denmark. Under the Danish Housing Benefit Act, it covers tenants, but also owners and cooperative members, and the home must as a rule have its own kitchen.
People granted disability pension before 1 January 2003 follow the same rules. If you were granted disability pension after 2003 or receive senior pension, you get boligsikring instead, but without the cap of 15% of the rent that otherwise applies to households without children.
If several people live together, only one person can receive housing benefit. According to borger.dk (in Danish), it is a good idea for the pensioner to apply, because a pensioner can normally get more. The pensioner can apply even if someone else in the household is the tenant.
Can pensioners get boligsikring?
Old-age pensioners get boligydelse rather than boligsikring. The law does allow boligsikring for a pensioner if it gives a higher amount. In practice boligydelse usually gives the most, because it is calculated on more generous terms on almost every point.
The differences, based on the 2026 rates in guidance no. 9336:
Share of the rent: 75% plus DKK 8,500 for boligydelse, 60% for boligsikring
Income threshold: DKK 201,400 for boligydelse, DKK 170,300 for boligsikring
Own payment: at least 11% of income and at least DKK 21,300 for boligydelse, at least DKK 28,700 for boligsikring
Maximum support: DKK 59,628 a year for boligydelse, DKK 50,412 for boligsikring
Maximum rent included: DKK 113,000 for boligydelse, DKK 95,500 for boligsikring
Assets count from: DKK 1,060,300 for boligydelse, DKK 896,400 for boligsikring
The biggest difference for single people is that boligydelse has no cap of 15% of the rent. That cap keeps boligsikring low for every household without children that is not covered by an exception.
How boligydelse is calculated
Boligydelse is the difference between 75% of the yearly housing cost plus a supplement of DKK 8,500, and 22.5% of the part of household income above DKK 201,400. The housing cost is the rent without heating, water, electricity and similar. Only the rent for 65 m² for the first person and 20 m² for each additional person is included.
Then comes the own-payment rule: you must pay at least 11% of household income towards the rent yourself, and at least DKK 21,300 a year. Assets above DKK 1,060,300 add 10% of the amount above the threshold to your income, and 20% above DKK 2,120,800.
If your rent goes up, tell Udbetaling Danmark so your boligydelse can be recalculated. Rent increases in private rentals must follow the Danish rent rules, so check the notice before you accept a new amount.
Worked example: single old-age pensioner
You live alone in 55 m² and pay DKK 5,500 a month excluding utilities, which is DKK 66,000 a year. Your total income is DKK 220,000 a year.
75% of DKK 66,000 is DKK 49,500, and with the DKK 8,500 supplement that gives DKK 58,000.
Income above the threshold is DKK 18,600, and 22.5% of that is DKK 4,185.
The basic calculation gives DKK 58,000 minus DKK 4,185, which is DKK 53,815.
Your own payment is 11% of DKK 220,000, which is DKK 24,200. You can therefore get at most DKK 66,000 minus DKK 24,200, which is DKK 41,800.
The result is DKK 41,800 a year, about DKK 3,483 a month. Here the 11% own-payment rule decides the amount, which applies to many pensioners with a slightly higher income. Under the boligsikring rules, the same household could get at most DKK 9,900 a year because of the 15% cap.
The official boligydelse calculator is the same one used for boligsikring. It applies the right rules based on what you enter about your pension.
Boligydelse for owners and cooperative members
If you live in a home you own or in a cooperative (andelsbolig), you can also get boligydelse, but it is paid as a loan (in Danish). You sign a declaration of debt, and in an owner-occupied home you must register a mortgage deed as security.
Since 1 January 2023, interest has been added to the loan at the Danish central bank's discount rate as of 1 October. The loan must be repaid when you sell or move, or it is settled in the estate. If you move directly from a cooperative to a new cooperative or owned home, you can take the debt with you.
The loan model is worth knowing if you are weighing up cooperative housing in Denmark or looking at cooperative housing in Copenhagen. In a rented home, boligydelse is a grant that does not have to be repaid, unless too much has been paid out.
How to apply for boligydelse
You apply online through borger.dk with MitID. If you cannot do it yourself, a relative can help with a power of attorney, even if you live together. The steps are:
Register your change of address if you move, at the earliest four weeks before moving in.
Apply no later than 30 days after moving in, and you get boligydelse from the day you moved in.
Attach your lease if you rent privately.
Wait for the decision. The deadline is 7 weeks.
Moving to a smaller home often starts with a place on a waitlist, so check how long a rental waitlist takes and give notice on your current lease in good time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to boligydelse if my spouse dies?
If your spouse was the one receiving boligydelse, it stops. If you apply in the same month as the death, or no later than 14 days after the letter from Udbetaling Danmark, you can get boligydelse from the first month after the death.
Can I get boligydelse in a care home?
Yes. You can get housing benefit when you live in a care home, but you must apply yourself. If your spouse moves into a care home and you are the one receiving boligydelse, it continues, but you must notify Udbetaling Danmark.
What happens when I move from boligsikring to old-age pension?
Once you receive old-age pension, the boligydelse rules apply to you, and your income usually changes at the same time. Tell Udbetaling Danmark about the change, so the support is calculated under the right rules and you avoid having to pay money back.
Find a home that suits life as a pensioner
A smaller or cheaper home can mean a lower rent and a larger share covered by boligydelse. With Waitly you can search rental waitlists and sign up to interest lists for upcoming homes. Creating a profile is free, and signing up improves your chances, but it does not guarantee a home.
