The care home supplement: how the fund cuts the co-payment
The longer someone lives in a home, the more of the care part the fund pays. How the steps work, who calculates them and what they mean in euros.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
When the supplement rises next
Saving from next step
€313.20
| Supplement now | 15 % |
| next step in | 2 months |
Residents of German care homes with care grade 2 to 5 receive a supplement (Leistungszuschlag) from their long-term care fund on the care part of their co-payment (section 43c of Book XI of the Social Code). It is 15 % in the first twelve months, 30 % from month 13, 50 % from month 25 and 75 % from month 37. Months with only a few days of residential care count in full. The supplement applies only to the uniform care co-payment (EEE) including the training levy, not to board, lodging or investment costs. On the vdek national average of 1 July 2026 it is worth €313 a month in year one and €1,566 from year four, about €42,595 over the first four years. Since 1 July 2026 the care fund calculates the supplement itself from information supplied by the home and pays it directly to the home, which then bills only the remaining co-payment. Care grade 1 receives no supplement.
The four steps in euros
| Stay | Supplement | Supplement, national average | Care part remaining | Total co-payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| months 1 to 12 | 15 % | €313 | €1,775 | €3,364 |
| months 13 to 24 | 30 % | €626 | €1,462 | €3,051 |
| months 25 to 36 | 50 % | €1,044 | €1,044 | €2,633 |
| from month 37 | 75 % | €1,566 | €522 | €2,111 |
The supplement was introduced because care home co-payments had risen sharply and many residents needed social assistance after a few years. It eases the burden more the longer someone stays. For the family, the first two years are the most expensive; after that it becomes noticeably lighter, but only on the care part (section 43c SGB XI).
Check the co-payment from your home contract
Co-payment per month
€3,375
| Supplement | 15 % = €315 |
| EEE after supplement | €1,785 |
A four-year stay
A worked example at national averages shows how much the steps matter. In year one the resident pays €40,366 in total, in year two €36,607, in year three €31,596 and in year four €25,332. The difference between the first and fourth year, €15,034, is almost entirely the supplement. Anyone estimating at the start how long pension and savings will last should include these steps; a rough sum based on the first month seriously underestimates how far the money goes. The care home calculator does this automatically once you enter pension and savings.
The reverse also holds: when rates rise, new residents are hit harder. A €100 increase in the EEE costs €85 a month more in year one but only €25 from year four, which is why families with a relative in long-term care feel price rises less than those just looking for a place.
What the step looks like on the bill
The monthly bill shows the care rate for the grade, minus the care fund’s fixed amount and the supplement, then board, lodging and investment costs. Check the supplement line: its percentage must match the number of months. If it still says 15 percent after month 13, ask the home and the care fund to correct the bill. Keep the bills and the contract with the moving-in date; they prove the number of months if the step is disputed later or the welfare office takes over and recalculates. Relatives abroad can ask the home to email each bill so this check takes a minute.
What the supplement does not touch
Board and lodging, on average €1,068, and investment costs, €521, stay the same however long someone lives in the home. In states with high fixed costs, such as North Rhine-Westphalia or Rhineland-Palatinate, the co-payment therefore falls less than in states with a high care part such as Berlin or Baden-Württemberg. See the pages on Rhineland-Palatinate and Berlin.
The supplement by state
| State | EEE | Year 1 | From year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremen | €2,296 | €344 | €1,722 |
| Saarland | €2,176 | €326 | €1,632 |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | €1,983 | €297 | €1,487 |
| Baden-Württemberg | €2,401 | €360 | €1,801 |
| Hamburg | €2,159 | €324 | €1,619 |
| Hesse | €2,233 | €335 | €1,675 |
| Berlin | €2,410 | €362 | €1,808 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | €1,766 | €265 | €1,325 |
| Bavaria | €2,185 | €328 | €1,639 |
| Thuringia | €2,045 | €307 | €1,534 |
| Saxony | €2,136 | €320 | €1,602 |
| Brandenburg | €2,172 | €326 | €1,629 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | €1,782 | €267 | €1,337 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | €2,070 | €311 | €1,553 |
| Lower Saxony | €1,862 | €279 | €1,397 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | €1,993 | €299 | €1,495 |
New since July 2026: the fund calculates
Until mid-2026 homes calculated the supplement and settled it with the fund. Since 1 July 2026 the fund calculates it from the information the home sends, pays it to the home, and the home bills the resident only for the rest. Little changes for families, but the bill should now show clearly which supplement was applied. If the step to the next level is missing, contact the fund.
Common questions on the bill
- Changing homes: earlier months carry over; tell the new home and the fund the original moving-in date.
- Hospital: months with a hospital stay count as long as the place in the home continues and section 43 benefits are drawn.
- Higher grade: it does not change the supplement, because the EEE is the same for every grade (section 84(2) SGB XI).
- Price increase: if the EEE rises, the supplement in euros rises too; the percentage stays.
- Death during a month: the part month counts as a month with benefits; billing covers the days up to the date of death.