Apply for a Care Allowance Under Social Long-Term Care Insurance
If you require long-term care, you can decide for yourself who will provide your care and where. If you receive in-home care from family members, acquaintances, or other volunteers, you will receive a care allowance from your long-term care insurance. You can apply for this through your long-term care insurance fund. The long-term care insurance fund is affiliated with your statutory health insurance provider, so you can use the same contact information.
You are eligible for a long-term care allowance if you
- are classified in care levels 2, 3, 4, or 5 and
- can use the long-term care allowance—in an amount commensurate with your care level—to appropriately ensure the necessary physical care measures, nursing support, and assistance with household management.
The long-term care allowance is paid to you monthly by your long-term care insurance fund. You may choose to pass it on directly to the person who cares for you as a token of appreciation for the care and support they provide at home with great dedication and self-sacrifice. The amount of the monthly care allowance is graded according to your level of care need (as of 2026):
- Care Level 2: 347.00 EUR
- Care Level 3: 599.00 EUR
- Care Level 4: 800.00 EUR
- Care Level 5: 990.00 EUR
During short-term care or respite care, you will continue to receive 50 percent of the long-term care allowance.
- Anyone who receives in-home care from family members or other volunteer caregivers is entitled to a care allowance
- You must apply for the care allowance through the long-term care insurance fund
-
Requirements:
- The applicant is classified as care level 2, 3, 4, or 5 and
- can use the long-term care allowance, in an amount commensurate with their needs, to appropriately ensure the necessary physical care and nursing support, as well as assistance with household management
-
The amount of the monthly long-term care allowance depends on the care level (as of 2026)
- Care Level 2: 347.00 EUR
- Care Level 3: 599.00 EUR
- Care Level 4: 800.00 EUR
- Care Level 5: 990.00 EUR
- Information provided by: Long-term care insurance funds
You do not need to submit any documents when applying for a long-term care allowance.
Depending on your specific situation, additional documents may be required. Please check with your long-term care insurance provider for more information.
- You are classified in care level 2, 3, 4, or 5
With the care allowance—the amount of which is determined accordingly—you can independently ensure, in an appropriate manner, the necessary physical care and nursing support, as well as assistance with household management.
You do not have to pay anything for the application.
You can submit your application for a long-term care allowance by mail, for example, or—with many long-term care insurance funds—in person at their office or online.
- You submit the application for long-term care benefits to your long-term care insurance fund. If you are unable to do so yourself, you can authorize someone in writing to do so on your behalf.
- The long-term care insurance fund will review your application for long-term care benefits and
- will transfer your long-term care benefits to you monthly.
Processing usually takes about 2 to 3 business days.
To ensure prompt processing and a decision, your long-term care insurance provider must have all the necessary information and, if applicable, any required documents—complete and detailed.
The long-term care insurance provider will make a decision on applications in a timely manner.
Please note that the processing time indicated is an average across all long-term care insurance providers. It may vary in individual cases.
The exact processing time also depends on the complexity of the individual case and may be extended accordingly. The same applies if documents or paperwork are sent by mail to you or your long-term care insurance provider.
If necessary, the Medical Service may need to be involved.
Entitlement to a long-term care allowance takes effect on the date the application is filed, but no earlier than the date on which the eligibility requirements are met. If the application is not submitted in the calendar month in which the need for long-term care arose, but at a later date, benefits will be granted starting from the beginning of the month in which the application was submitted. Therefore, you should submit the application in a timely manner.
- Appeal
-
Lawsuit before the Social Court
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband)
- Care Allowance for Self-Procured Care Aids: Granting
Remark: Displaying Performance on the Original Portal
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
- Anyone who receives in-home care from family members or other volunteer caregivers is entitled to a care allowance
- You must apply for the care allowance through the long-term care insurance fund
-
Requirements:
- The applicant is classified as care level 2, 3, 4, or 5 and
- can use the long-term care allowance, in an amount commensurate with their needs, to appropriately ensure the necessary physical care and nursing support, as well as assistance with household management
-
The amount of the monthly long-term care allowance depends on the care level (as of 2026)
- Care Level 2: 347.00 EUR
- Care Level 3: 599.00 EUR
- Care Level 4: 800.00 EUR
- Care Level 5: 990.00 EUR
- Information provided by: Long-term care insurance funds
You do not need to submit any documents when applying for a long-term care allowance.
Depending on your specific situation, additional documents may be required. Please check with your long-term care insurance provider for more information.
- You are classified in care level 2, 3, 4, or 5
With the care allowance—the amount of which is determined accordingly—you can independently ensure, in an appropriate manner, the necessary physical care and nursing support, as well as assistance with household management.
You do not have to pay anything for the application.
You can submit your application for a long-term care allowance by mail, for example, or—with many long-term care insurance funds—in person at their office or online.
- You submit the application for long-term care benefits to your long-term care insurance fund. If you are unable to do so yourself, you can authorize someone in writing to do so on your behalf.
- The long-term care insurance fund will review your application for long-term care benefits and
- will transfer your long-term care benefits to you monthly.
Processing usually takes about 2 to 3 business days.
To ensure prompt processing and a decision, your long-term care insurance provider must have all the necessary information and, if applicable, any required documents—complete and detailed.
The long-term care insurance provider will make a decision on applications in a timely manner.
Please note that the processing time indicated is an average across all long-term care insurance providers. It may vary in individual cases.
The exact processing time also depends on the complexity of the individual case and may be extended accordingly. The same applies if documents or paperwork are sent by mail to you or your long-term care insurance provider.
If necessary, the Medical Service may need to be involved.
Entitlement to a long-term care allowance takes effect on the date the application is filed, but no earlier than the date on which the eligibility requirements are met. If the application is not submitted in the calendar month in which the need for long-term care arose, but at a later date, benefits will be granted starting from the beginning of the month in which the application was submitted. Therefore, you should submit the application in a timely manner.
- Appeal
-
Lawsuit before the Social Court
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband)
- Care Allowance for Self-Procured Care Aids: Granting
Remark: Displaying Performance on the Original Portal
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.