In the performance statistics according to SGB II (basic security statistics), the Federal Employment Agency (BA) reports on the number of people in need and their benefits according to SGB II.

The people in benefit communities (often referred to in public as Hartz IV recipients) are to be differentiated into employable beneficiaries (eLb) and non-employable beneficiaries (nEf). The eLb receive unemployment benefit II and the nEf social benefit. A community of need is a legal construct that includes all persons who are basically entitled to benefits.

A community of needs consists of at least one eLb (for further definitions, see the glossary of basic social security benefits), whereby the associated residential community can include other people outside of SGB II. Beneficial communities, people in SGB II as well as eLb and nEf form the four statistical benchmarks for basic social security. Depending on the composition, there are different levels of demand. Based on the requirement levels, the benefit levels are calculated depending on the income situation and any sanctions.

The parallel recipients of unemployment benefit I and unemployment benefit II are referred to as top-ups. The Employment Agency is responsible for placement in employment for people who receive additional unemployment benefit II. The job center provides top-up unemployment benefit II.

The employed ALG II beneficiaries who receive unemployment benefit II in addition to their wages are often incorrectly referred to as top-ups.

You can find more information on the website of the Federal agency for work .