Home care services in Germany: how the monthly budget works
No money paid to you, but a monthly budget the care service draws on directly. Understanding it helps you plan visits and keep part of the care allowance.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Does the services budget cover the care service?
Left in the budget
€197
| Budget up to | €1,497 |
| Allowance alongside | €78.83 |
| convertible for everyday help | €197 |
The services benefit (Pflegesachleistung) is the monthly budget from which the German long-term care fund pays a registered home care service for personal care, care-related supervision and help with the household (section 36 of Book XI of the Social Code, SGB XI). It applies from care grade 2 and in 2026 is worth up to €796 at grade 2, €1,497 at grade 3, €1,859 at grade 4 and €2,299 at grade 5. The money never reaches the family’s account: the service bills the fund directly, and anything above the cap is paid privately. If part of the budget is left unused, a partial care allowance is paid alongside. At grade 3 with a bill of €900, 60.1 % of the budget is used and €238.88 of allowance remains. Up to 40 % can be converted for recognised everyday help. Day care, the relief amount and care aids come on top, and the chosen split between money and services binds for 6 months (section 38).
What “benefit in kind” means here
German social law distinguishes cash benefits from benefits in kind. With home care, the benefit in kind is a registered home care service (ambulanter Pflegedienst) with a contract with the care funds. It sends carers, records what they did and invoices the long-term care fund (Pflegekasse) directly (section 120(4) SGB XI). The family only sees a copy, plus a bill of its own if the month’s cap is exceeded. For a son or daughter abroad this is convenient: nobody has to advance money or file receipts.
The scope is wider than many expect. Section 36 SGB XI covers personal care, care-related supervision and help running the household. Supervision includes support with orientation, daily routine, conversation and social contact, and exercises that keep the mind active. Training relatives in care techniques is part of it too. Besides classic agencies, individuals with their own contract with the care fund can provide services, and agencies may cooperate with household service providers.
The 2026 amounts compared with the allowance
| Care grade | Services up to | Care allowance | Allowance as share of services | convertible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | €796 | €347 | 43.6 % | €318.40 |
| 3 | €1,497 | €599 | 40.0 % | €598.80 |
| 4 | €1,859 | €800 | 43.0 % | €743.60 |
| 5 | €2,299 | €990 | 43.1 % | €919.60 |
At every grade the services budget is more than twice the allowance. Using only a care service therefore draws a larger sum from the fund but gives up all freely usable money. For many households the best answer lies in between: a few fixed visits for what relatives cannot do, with the remainder paid as care allowance to whoever handles daily life. If you live abroad and a neighbour or sibling does the everyday part, that partial allowance is how they can be compensated.
When the bill exceeds the budget
Care services bill by service package or by time, at prices agreed with the funds in each federal state. Help with washing and dressing twice a day can easily cost more than the budget. The family pays the gap, but only at the agreed prices: no surcharge for private payers is allowed (section 120(4)). The same monthly bill across the four grades:
| Care grade | Bill | Budget used | Allowance alongside | you pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | €1,200 | 100.0 % | €0.00 | €404 |
| 3 | €1,200 | 80.2 % | €118.84 | €0 |
| 4 | €1,200 | 64.6 % | €283.59 | €0 |
| 5 | €1,200 | 52.2 % | €473.25 | €0 |
At grade 2 such a bill breaks the budget; at grade 5 almost half stays free and becomes partial allowance. Anyone who must top up but lacks the income can apply to the social welfare office for social assistance for care. Before that, look at the contract: some visits can be shortened, moved or replaced by day care, which has its own budget.
How much allowance is left next to a care service
Allowance per month
€358.92
| Services budget used | 40.1 % |
| full allowance | €599 |
| you pay | €0 |
The care contract and what it must contain
A care contract (Pflegevertrag) arises at the latest with the first visit (section 120 SGB XI). It must describe the type, content and extent of each service with its agreed price, and the service must normally tell you in writing beforehand what the expected private cost will be. The contract can be cancelled at any time without notice, which matters when a service is unreliable or the family wants to switch. Ask for the written cost estimate by email if you are handling things from another country; it is the document you will need if a bill is disputed.
The contract should also allow for several providers working side by side and for part of the budget to stay free for the conversion claim. A family may therefore use one agency for morning care and a recognised everyday helper for afternoons without the first agency claiming the whole budget.
What does not come out of this budget
Medical treatment care belongs to health insurance (section 37(2) SGB V). If the service comes for a medically required task, it bills that part to the health insurer without touching the services budget. Kept separate as well are day care with its own budget, the relief amount and consumable care aids. None of them reduces the allowance. To add everything up, use the combined benefit calculator.
Advice visits, pension and the six-month rule
People receiving services do not have to prove an advice visit but may request one every six months. For family carers the choice affects pension: at grade 3 with services only, the fund pays contributions on 30.1 % of the reference value, with allowance only on 43 %. A year of caring then adds €11.69 rather than €16.71 of monthly pension, provided the carer cares at least 10 hours over 2 days a week. Section 38 SGB XI binds the chosen split for 6 months.
Getting started with a care service
- Once grade 2 or higher is confirmed, contact several registered services near your relative; the local Pflegestützpunkt keeps lists.
- Ask for a written estimate listing service packages and prices, and compare it with the monthly cap in the table.
- Decide what family members cover and give the rest to the service; the calculator above shows the remaining allowance.
- Check the monthly statements. If a bill does not match the visits, raise it with the service first, then with the fund.
One practical note for families new to care services: carers change more often than expected, and visit times are rarely fixed to the minute. Agree time windows that fit your parent’s routine and write wishes about regular staff into the contract. It avoids friction and makes it easier for your parent to accept help from strangers, which is often the hardest part when the family is far away.