Financing Private Long-Term Care: These Services Are Covered by the Pflegekasse (the German long-term care insurance fund) (2026)

If you arrange for private home care or assistance, you don’t have to pay for it all on your own: Pflegekasse (the German long-term care insurance fund) covers part of the cost—though not through unverified direct payments, but rather through several earmarked budgets. How much you’re entitled to depends on your assigned Pflegegrad (the German care level, 1 to 5). This overview shows the most important funding sources with the current amounts for 2026.

Overview of Benefits

• Long-Term Care Allowance – unrestricted reimbursement for private care, starting at care level 2
• Combined annual amount for respite and short-term care, starting at care level 2
• Relief allowance – earmarked for personal care/household assistance, starting at care level 1
• Home Health Care – medically prescribed treatment care
• Combination Benefit – converting a portion of in-kind benefits into cash
• Care Assistance – supplemental social assistance when benefits are insufficient

Care Allowance (starting at care level 2)

The care allowance is paid directly to the person in need of care and is not earmarked for a specific purpose—it can be passed on to a private caregiver or a family member providing care. As of 2026 (unchanged since 2025): Care Level 2 = €347, Care Level 3 = €599, Care Level 4 = €800, Care Level 5 = €990 per month. There is no care allowance for Care Level 1. Anyone receiving only the care allowance must regularly provide proof of a counseling visit in accordance with Section 37(3) of SGB XI.

Combined Annual Amount: Respite and Short-Term Care (Starting at Care Level 2)

If the private caregiver is temporarily unavailable (vacation, illness), the insurance provider pays for substitute care. Since July 1, 2025, there has been a combined annual amount of €3,539 per year for this purpose, which you can use flexibly for respite or short-term care. Verhinderungspflege (German respite care) is limited to a maximum of 56 days per year.

Relief Allowance (Care Level 1 and above)

Starting at Care Level 1, €131 per month (€1,572 per year) is available for recognized care and relief services—such as daily living assistants or household-related services. This amount is earmarked for a specific purpose and is reimbursed upon submission of receipts. For details, see the separate article on the respite care allowance.

In-Home Nursing Care (Medically Prescribed)

This benefit provided by health insurance (Section 37 of SGB V) covers medical treatment—such as changing dressings or preparing medications—but not basic care. It requires a doctor’s prescription and that no one in the household is able to perform the task.

Combined Benefit

If you only use a professional care service part-time, you can receive the unused portion of the outpatient care benefit in kind as a cash payment on a pro-rata basis (§ 38 SGB XI) and use it to help pay for private care.

If the Money Isn’t Enough: Care Assistance

If benefits from the long-term care insurance fund, income, and assets are insufficient, you can apply for care assistance at the social services office.

Important to Know

The long-term care insurance fund does not “simply” pay a bill; rather, it contributes through the aforementioned budgets, each of which is subject to specific conditions—usually upon presentation of receipts. A free care consultation under Section 7a of SGB XI helps you optimize the combination of these funding sources.

This article provides general guidance and is not a substitute for legal, tax, or social services advice. Amounts and rules (as of 2026) are subject to change. Binding information can be obtained from your long-term care insurance provider, a long-term care counseling service under Section 7a of SGB XI, or the Consumer Advice Center.