Consumer advocates warn
This care service could soon be eliminated
09/14/2026 – 12:58 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Those in need of care can use the relief amount to finance numerous assistance services. Consumer advocates are now urging people to hurry.
Social space budget should replace relief amount
In the draft submitted by Linnemann’s predecessor Nina Warken, the relief amount is to be replaced by a so-called social space budget. According to current plans, this should be higher (175 euros per month) than the relief amount (131 months), but should only be granted from care level 2. This means that those in need of care with care level one – which was 863,000 women and men at the end of 2024 – could go away empty-handed in the future.
In addition, the social space budget is apparently designed to be more inflexible than the current relief amount. In this way, unused amounts can be saved from the relief amount – always by June 30th of the following year. Such an option is not provided for in the draft law. There is also no mention of an interim solution in the current draft law, notes Verena Querling from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center.
| feature | Relief amount | Social space budget |
|---|---|---|
| Height (per month) | 131 euros | 175 euros |
| Entitled | Care level 1 to 5 | Care level 2 to 5 |
| Savings opportunity | Until June 30th of the following year | Not planned (according to current draft) |
This could mean that the entitlements accumulated this year can no longer be saved and used until June 30th of the coming year, but will expire at the turn of the year. Accordingly, Querling advises applying for benefits by the end of the year.
The relief amount can be used to finance a variety of relief measures. In addition to help around the house or with shopping, it can also be used to finance accompanying services, such as accompanying the person in need of care to the doctor or keeping them company on a walk through the park. It can also be used for day and night care as well as short-term care. However, the amount is not paid out in cash – instead, those in need of care must submit the relevant receipts and the expenses will then be reimbursed to their account.
Short-term care is particularly affected
According to Querling, a new regulation would particularly affect insured people who would like to use the relief amount for their own contribution to short-term care. This is where people in need of care come in for a short time Nursing homefor example to enable caring relatives to take a holiday. However, due to the personal contribution that has to be paid, short-term care lasting several weeks quickly results in costs of 1,000 euros or more.
So far, the relief amount can also be used for this – but whether this will still be possible next year remains to be seen. Accordingly, existing claims should be used this year. If you don’t know what budget you still have available to you this year, you can ask your long-term care insurance company.
