Care homes in Hesse: the steepest rise of the year
No state’s care part grew as much in the first half of 2026 as Hesse’s. What it means over a year and how the co-payment develops with each year of stay.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Monthly co-payment, Hesse
€3,431
in month 1, supplement 15 %
| Care (EEE) after supplement | €1,898 |
|---|---|
| Board and lodging | €1,005 |
| Investment costs | €528 |
| Fund pays the home | €1,654 |
| Monthly gap after pension | €1,831 |
| Savings last until the protected amount | 18 months |
| Co-payments over the next 36 months | €110,120 |
| Year 1 (15 %) | €3,431 |
|---|---|
| Year 2 (30 %) | €3,096 |
| Year 3 (50 %) | €2,650 |
| Year 4 (75 %) | €2,091 |
Step-by-step calculation
- vdek average for Hesse on 1 July 2026: EEE €2,233 (incl. training levy €174), board and lodging €1,005, investment costs €528.
- Month 1 in the home: supplement 15 % of the EEE = €334.95 (section 43c).
- Co-payment = €1,898.05 + €1,005 + €528 = €3,431.05.
Estimate using the 2026 amounts in Book XI of the Social Code. Only the decision letter from your Pflegekasse is binding. How we calculate
In Hesse the care part of care home costs rose by €203 a month between 1 January and 1 July 2026, from €2,030 to €2,233, according to the two vdek analyses. That is the steepest increase of all German states (rank 1). The first-year co-payment is now €3,431 a month, rank 6 of 16; over a year new residents pay about €2,424 more than in January. Board and lodging cost €1,005 and investment costs €528, both roughly at the national average. With the care fund’s rising supplement the co-payment falls to €3,096 in year two, €2,650 in year three and €2,091 from year four. In neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate the care part is much lower at €1,766, but board and lodging are higher.
Hesse over six months
| Hesse Jan 2026 | Hesse Jul 2026 | Rhineland-Palatinate Jul 2026 | Germany Jul 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care co-payment (EEE) | €2,030 | €2,233 | €1,766 | €2,088 |
| Board and lodging | €978 | €1,005 | €1,280 | €1,068 |
| Investment costs | €525 | €528 | €508 | €521 |
| Year 1 | €3,229 | €3,431 | €3,289 | €3,364 |
| From year 4 | €2,011 | €2,091 | €2,230 | €2,111 |
Two lessons from the table. A rise in the care part hits new residents hardest, because the supplement absorbs only 15 percent in year one. And comparing with a neighbouring state is only a snapshot: which state is cheaper depends on how long someone stays.
Families planning savings should therefore feed the calculator the actual month of moving in, not just the state average. If the co-payment exceeds pension and savings for good, social assistance for care can help. See the care reform for the status of the draft.
What the rise means for savings
An example: a resident with a €1,700 pension and €50,000 of savings moves into an average-priced home in Hesse in July 2026. The gap in the first month is €1,731; at January prices it would have been €1,529. Over a year the rise eats several thousand euros more of savings, which must be used down to the protected €10,000 before the welfare office steps in. The calculator above shows the exact run-down with your own figures, which is useful for relatives abroad who manage a parent’s finances from a distance.