Guide · Reform 2027
Local support budget 2027: what it replaces and what you can use it 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 the local support budget (Sozialraumbudget) is to replace the relief amount (Entlastungsbetrag): €175 a month instead of €131, €300 for people under 25.
- It applies from care level 2. There is no local support budget planned for care level 1.
- It is to pay for approved everyday support services and approved neighbourly help.
- Unused amounts are no longer to be saved up.
- Day, night and short-term care are paid through other benefits, not through the local support budget.
Local support budget and relief amount compared
| Feature | Relief amount 2026 | Local support budget, planned from 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Amount per month | €131 | €175 (under 25: €300) |
| From care level | 1 | 2 |
| Saving up | possible until midway through the following year | to be abolished |
| Converting in-kind benefits | up to 40% possible | to be abolished |
What you can use the local support budget for
It is meant for everyday help that does not have to come from a home care service. The draft names approved everyday support services (Angebote zur Unterstützung im Alltag) and neighbourly help. Today these include, for example:
- care groups and everyday companions, for example for people with dementia
- help with housework and shopping by approved providers
- relief for family carers, such as a few hours of care at home
Which services are approved in your region is decided by the federal states. Your care fund (Pflegekasse) and local care support centre (Pflegestützpunkt) can tell you.
Neighbourly help
According to the draft, individual helpers are also to be approvable by the care funds in future. The nationwide guidelines are due by 1 January 2028; until then, the rules of the federal states apply. So a helpful neighbour cannot automatically claim payment. Ask your care fund first.
What ends
At present the relief amount can be saved up and used until midway through the following year. This is to end: according to the draft, what is not used in a month cannot be carried over. The option to convert up to 40% of in-kind home care benefits into relief services is also to be abolished. No local support budget is planned for care level 1. What changes for care level 1
How to plan with the local support budget
- Think monthly: because nothing is to be saved up any more, regular help each month, such as a care group or household help, works better than one large service a year.
- Find approved providers: if you already use an approved care service, you can probably continue to pay for it from the local support budget.
- Clarify neighbourly help: check whether your helper can be approved under the rules of your federal state.
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 local support budget?
According to the government draft, €175 a month from care level 2, €300 for people under 25. The law has not been passed yet.
Does the local support budget replace the relief amount?
Yes, from care level 2. The relief amount is €131 a month in 2026.
Can I save up the local support budget?
Not according to the draft. Unused amounts are not to be carried over to later months.
Can I use it to pay for day care?
No. Day, night and short-term care are not included; day care remains a separate entitlement.