Guide · Reform 2027
Bridging budget 2027: what it is and what it pays for
This guide is about the German statutory long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung). German terms are given in brackets so you can recognise them in letters from your care insurance fund (Pflegekasse).
- From 2027 there is to be a bridging budget (Überbrückungsbudget) of up to €2,285 per year for care levels 2 to 5.
- It replaces the joint annual amount for respite care (Verhinderungspflege) and short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege), which is €3,539 in 2026.
- It pays for short-term care in a care home and for help in acute situations, for example when the carer suddenly falls ill.
- Substitute care by relatives or friends is to be paid from the care allowance in future, not from this budget.
- Knowing the budget today lets you plan short-term care and replacement care for 2027 calmly.
What the bridging budget is
Family carers fall ill, need a holiday or drop out overnight. At present, respite care and short-term care cover these gaps; since July 2025 they share a joint annual amount. According to the government draft, both are to merge into a new budget in 2027: the bridging budget.
How much money there is
| Benefit | 2026 | planned from 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Respite and short-term care (joint annual amount) | €3,539 | – |
| Bridging budget, care levels 2 to 5 | – | €2,285 |
On paper that is €1,254 less. The amounts are not fully comparable, though: part of what is paid through respite care today is to come from other budgets in future. In the government draft the amount applies uniformly to care levels 2 to 5; the first draft of June 2026 had planned less for care levels 2 and 3.
What the budget is for
- Short-term care in a care home: for example after a hospital stay or while the carer is on holiday, as before up to eight weeks a year.
- Acute situations at home: when care at home is suddenly not secured. In 2027, approved home care services are to step in; if this lasts longer than three calendar days, the care fund must agree.
- From 2028: a care emergency service and acute short-term care are to be added.
During short-term care or an emergency placement, half of the care allowance is to continue for up to eight weeks a year. Providers are to hand over a cost overview afterwards.
What will no longer be paid from this budget
When relatives, neighbours or friends step in as substitutes today, this is often claimed as respite care. According to the draft, such privately organised replacement care is to be paid from the care allowance in future, which rises for this purpose. There is no separate annual amount for it. Professional replacement care by a home care service usually runs through the in-kind budget. Household help and neighbourly help are not part of the bridging budget either. What the care allowance is to cover from 2027
Day and night care remain a separate entitlement and are not offset against the bridging budget.
What is still open
The draft does not yet set out in detail how the budget is applied for and claimed, or whether unused amounts expire. The law may still change in parliament; we will update this guide after the vote.
How to plan with the bridging budget
- Arrange replacement care for 2027: who steps in if you fall ill or need a holiday? If relatives or friends step in, this is to be paid from the care allowance from 2027. The bridging budget is there for short-term care in a care home and for acute help.
- Ask for a short-term care place early: places are scarce, especially during school holidays. Ask several care homes and your local care support centre (Pflegestützpunkt).
- Know a home care service: in 2027, approved home care services are to step in in acute situations. It helps to know a service nearby beforehand. Find a home care service
Until the law applies, respite and short-term care with the joint annual amount of €3,539 remain unchanged.
Sources
- German Federal Ministry of Health: cabinet adopts the care reform act (Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz), press release of 30 Sept 2026; Bundesrat document 587/26
- pflege-dschungel.de: what the cabinet draft means for care at home (30 Sept 2026)
- Deutscher Pflegebeistand: care reform 2027 (as of 9 Oct 2026)
- German Social Code Book XI (SGB XI), 2026 version: Sections 14 and 15 (assessment), 39 and 42 (respite and short-term care), 41 (day and night care), 45 (care courses), 45a and 45b (everyday support services, relief amount)
Frequently asked questions
How much is the bridging budget?
According to the government draft, up to €2,285 per calendar year for care levels 2 to 5. The law has not been passed yet.
Does the bridging budget replace respite care?
Yes, respite care and short-term care are to merge into it. Private replacement care by relatives is to be paid from the care allowance in future.
Is there a bridging budget for care level 1?
No, according to the draft only from care level 2.
Is day care offset against the bridging budget?
No. According to the draft, day and night care remain a separate entitlement without offsetting.