Care benefits calculator 2026
In 2026 German care insurance pays, depending on the care grade, up to €990 care allowance or up to €2,299 for a home care service a month, plus day care, a €131 relief amount, €3,539 a year for respite and short-term care and up to €4,180 per home adaptation. Choose a care grade and type of care.
Your result
€772
Monthly benefit framework · of which cash to you: €599
At care grade 1 there is no care allowance or benefits in kind, but the relief amount, care aids, emergency call and home adaptation grants.
| Care allowance (paid to you) | €599 |
| Benefits in kind (budget for the home care service) | 0 € |
| Day care (budget, additional) | €1,357 |
| Relief amount (against invoices) | €131 |
| Consumable care aids | €42 |
| Emergency call basic tariff (depends on fund contract) | €27 |
Per year: respite and short-term care
€3,539
One-off per measure: home adaptation
€4,180
Maximum amounts of German long-term care insurance (SGB XI), as of Oct 2026. Benefits in kind, day care and the relief amount are only paid against invoices from approved providers. Not legal advice.
The German government plans changes from 2027 with the Care Reorganisation Act (PNOG, cabinet draft of 30 Sept 2026), including dropping the relief amount for care grade 1 and restructuring some benefits. Until the law is enacted, the amounts shown here apply.
Transparency
Every amount with its source
Monthly maximum amounts under SGB XI, valid since 01/01/2025, checked in Oct 2026. The next statutory adjustment is not due until 2028.
| Benefit | PG 1 | PG 2 | PG 3 | PG 4 | PG 5 | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care allowance (Pflegegeld) | - | €347 | €599 | €800 | €990 | § 37 Abs. 1 SGB XI |
| Benefits in kind (home care service) | - | €796 | €1,497 | €1,859 | €2,299 | § 36 Abs. 3 SGB XI |
| Day and night care | - | €721 | €1,357 | €1,685 | €2,085 | § 41 Abs. 2 und 3 SGB XI |
| Relief amount (Entlastungsbetrag) | €131 | €131 | €131 | €131 | €131 | § 45b SGB XI |
| Consumable care aids | €42 | €42 | €42 | €42 | €42 | § 40 Abs. 2 SGB XI |
| Home emergency call (technical care aid) | €27 | €27 | €27 | €27 | €27 | § 40 Abs. 1 SGB XI, Hilfsmittelverzeichnis Produktgruppe 52 |
| Joint annual budget for respite and short-term care (per year) | - | €3,539 | €3,539 | €3,539 | €3,539 | § 42a SGB XI (seit 01.07.2025), §§ 39, 42 SGB XI |
| Home adaptation grant (per measure) | €4,180 | €4,180 | €4,180 | €4,180 | €4,180 | § 40 Abs. 4 SGB XI |
- Combination benefit: If benefits in kind are only partly used, a proportional care allowance is paid: the allowance falls by the percentage of benefits in kind used. The split is binding for six months.
- Conversion entitlement: Up to 40 % of the unused benefits-in-kind amount for recognised everyday support services.
- Home emergency call (technical care aid): Under certain conditions (living alone or largely alone during the day, emergency possible at any time) the care insurance fund covers the basic tariff if the provider has a contract with the fund. The exact refund depends on that contract. Extras such as key storage, mobile emergency call or fall sensors are usually paid privately.
- Advisory visit under § 37(3): Anyone receiving only the care allowance must request an advisory visit every six months at grades 2 to 5; at grades 4 and 5 a visit every three months is also possible. At grade 1 there is an entitlement to one visit every six months. The care insurance fund pays. Every second visit can take place by video until 31 March 2027. Missing a mandatory visit can lead to the allowance being reduced and withdrawn.
Sources: SGB XI on gesetze-im-internet.de (§§ 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42a, 45a, 45b); emergency call basic tariff: Pflegewegweiser NRW / Verbraucherzentrale NRW.
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Can I combine the care allowance with a home care service?
Yes, as the combination benefit under § 38 SGB XI. If the service uses 60 % of benefits in kind, you still receive 40 % of the care allowance. At care grade 3 that is €898.20 for the service and €239.60 allowance. The split applies for six months.
Is day care offset against the allowance or benefits in kind?
No. The amount for day and night care under § 41 SGB XI is available in addition. You pay meals and investment costs yourself and can use the relief amount for them.
What do I get at care grade 1?
No care allowance and no benefits in kind, but the relief amount of €131 a month, consumable care aids up to €42, a home emergency call system as a care aid, home adaptation grants of up to €4,180 per measure and care advice. The government plans to drop the relief amount at grade 1 from 2027; this has not been enacted yet.
Does the relief amount expire?
Unused amounts can be carried over to the following calendar half-year, after which they lapse. It is reimbursed against invoices from recognised providers, not paid out in cash.
Are my inputs stored?
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.