Home ownership as security in the event of a need for care – the SPD warns

SPD against CDU

“No luxury reserve”: Dispute over home ownership proposal

Nursing care insurance is in chronic financial trouble – but this also applies to many people in need of care due to increasing personal contributions. Should reserves and real estate be used more?

In order to financially stabilize care, further inclusion of one’s own assets is also being discussed. SPD health expert Christos Pantazis told the newspapers of the Funke media group: “Anyone who calls for owner-occupied residential property or private reserves to be used more to finance care in the future must honestly tell people what that means in concrete terms.” For many families, owning their own home is “not a luxury reserve”. People expected security when they were dependent on care in old age – not the worry of losing their life’s work.

Union parliamentary group deputy Albert Stegemann (CDU) had previously spoken out in favor of more personal responsibility. “There cannot be an inheritance protection program at the expense of the general public: Anyone who owns assets must first use their own assets, including their own home, before the community pays,” he told “Bild”. Anyone who makes provision with supplementary care insurance or home ownership assumes responsibility for the eventuality of care.

• Home costs: From this salary you pay for the care of your parents
• Nursing care insurance reform: This is a discriminatory tax

The president of the social association VdK, Verena Bentele, told the Funke newspapers that it was unclear from Stegemann’s statements whether he was referring to the benefits from long-term care insurance or to help with care if one’s own money is not enough for accommodation in a home – in both cases it should be rejected. “When it comes to care assistance, everything else has to be used up before the office steps in,” said Bentele.

The contributions are due not only during, but also after the end of your working life. Pensioners currently pay a contribution rate of 3.6 percent. If they have no children, another 0.6 percent is added. There is no pension insurance subsidy.