Guide · Care allowance
Care allowance 2027: amounts, changes and what is left in practice
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).
- The care allowance (Pflegegeld) is to rise from 2027: €380 at care level 2, €630 at level 3, €890 at level 4 and €1,080 at level 5.
- In return it is to cover more: also consumable care supplies and privately organised replacement care. The separate €42 allowance is to be abolished.
- As a result, slightly less is left at care levels 2 and 3, and slightly more at levels 4 and 5.
- There is still no care allowance at care level 1.
- The plan in the first draft to halve the allowance in the first three months has been dropped from the government draft.
- Care allowance per month from 2027 according to the draft: €380 (care level 2), €630 (3), €890 (4), €1,080 (5).
- If relatives or friends step in to provide replacement care, this is to be paid from the care allowance in future.
- For planning: agree who provides replacement care and how the care allowance is shared within the family.
Care allowance 2026 and 2027 compared
| Care level | 2026 | planned from 2027 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care level 1 | – | – | – |
| Care level 2 | €347 | €380 | +€33 |
| Care level 3 | €599 | €630 | +€31 |
| Care level 4 | €800 | €890 | +€90 |
| Care level 5 | €990 | €1,080 | +€90 |
In the draft, the care allowance is to be renamed “relief budget” (Entlastungsbudget). It is still the cash benefit for people cared for at home by family members or other private helpers.
What the care allowance is to cover in future
- Care by family members, friends or other private helpers
- Help with housework
- Replacement care when the private carer is unavailable and you organise a replacement yourself
- Consumable care supplies such as gloves, disinfectant and bed protection pads
Because the €42 allowance for consumables is to be abolished, slightly less is left at care levels 2 and 3 than today if you use the care box: €380 instead of €389 at care level 2 and €630 instead of €641 at care level 3. At care levels 4 and 5, €48 more is left in each case.
Combining the care allowance with a home care service
If you use a home care service for only part of the care, you will still receive a proportion of the care allowance. The less of the in-kind care budget is used, the more care allowance is left. For example: if the home care service uses 40% of the in-kind budget, you still receive 60% of the care allowance.
Good to know
- Who receives the money: the care allowance is paid to the person who needs care. They decide whether and how much to pass on to the people caring for them. For family carers it is usually tax-free.
- Advice visit: anyone receiving care allowance must currently prove an advice visit (Beratungsbesuch) at least once every six months. Without proof, the fund can reduce the allowance. We will check whether this changes in 2027 once the law is passed.
- Pension for carers: if you provide care for at least ten hours a week, spread over at least two days, the care fund may pay pension contributions for you.
- From when: the care allowance is paid from the month the application arrives. How to apply
Sources
- German Federal Ministry of Health: government draft of the care reform act (PNOG), 30 Sept 2026, Bundesrat document 587/26
- pflege-dschungel.de: what the cabinet draft means for care at home (30 Sept 2026)
- SGB XI: Section 33 (start of benefits), Section 37 (care allowance, advice visit), Section 44 (pension insurance for carers)
Frequently asked questions
How much is the care allowance in 2027?
According to the government draft, €380 at care level 2, €630 at care level 3, €890 at care level 4 and €1,080 at care level 5 per month. The law has not been passed yet.
Will the care allowance be halved in the first months?
No. That was only in the first draft of June 2026 and has been dropped from the government draft.
Is there care allowance at care level 1?
No, neither today nor under the draft.
Will I have to pay for the care box myself from 2027?
According to the draft, the separate allowance of up to €42 is to be abolished. Consumables would then have to be paid for out of the care allowance.