Benefits of long-term care insurance increase: These changes are coming in 2025

Care is expensive. Although the long-term care insurance pays for some services for those in need of care, the money is by far not enough. Therefore, the long-term care insurance is only considered a partial coverage insurance. The remaining amounts must be paid by the individuals in need of care themselves, their relatives, or the state.

Due to ongoing inflation, care services will be further reformed in the new year. The benefits of statutory care insurance and aid will increase by an average of 4.5% from 01/01/2025, and the contribution to long-term care insurance will rise by 0.2%. With a correspondingly high benefit amount, this results in a significant increase in money for the care of dependent individuals compared to previous amounts. How much of this will actually result in, for example, more hours of a household helper through the relief amount remains to be seen. Service providers have already indicated that prices for services are expected to rise accordingly - in the worst case, even more than the additional money paid out through the care reform.

As of 01.07.2025, the benefit amounts for respite care and short-term care will also be combined. This means that there will be a common pool for both benefits. It can be used entirely for respite care, entirely for short-term care, or for both. The entitlement to respite care extends to eight weeks per year and thus matches the entitlement to short-term care. It is also made easier by the elimination of the so-called pre-care period, that is, the previous six-month period before respite care can be claimed.

We at famPLUS have outlined all changes to the benefit amounts for you here.

From January 1, 2025, there will be:

Care allowance:

• Care level 2: €347 (previously €332)

• Care level 3: 599 € (previously 573 €)

• Care level 4: €800 (previously €765)

• Care level 5: €990 (previously €947)

Care services:

• Care level 2: €796 (previously €761)

• Care level 3: €1,497 (previously €1,432)

• Care level 4: €1,859 (formerly €1,778)

• Care level 5: €2,299 (previously €2,200)

Day and night care:

• Care level 2: €721 (previously €689)

• Care level 3: €1,357 (previously €1,298)

• Care level 4: €1,685 (previously €1,612)

• Care level 5: €2,085 (previously €1,995)

Full inpatient care:

• Care level 1: €131 (previously €125)

• Care level 2: €805 (previously €770)

• Care level 3: €1,319 (previously €1,262)

• Care level 4: €1,855 (previously €1,775)

• Nursing grade 5: €2,096 (previously €2,005)

Preventive care:
Care level 2-5 €1,685 (previously €1,612)

Short-term care:
Care level 2-5 €1,854 (previously €1,774)

Relief amount:
Care level 1-5 €131 (previously €125)

Consumable care aids:
Care level 1-5 €42 (previously €40)

Housing group supplement:
Care level 1-5 €224 (previously €214)

Measures to Improve the Residential Environment:
Care level 1-5 €4,180 (previously €4,000)

Additionally, the amounts for digital care applications increase by €3 to €53. The benefit for those in need of care with care levels 1-5, who live in outpatient living groups, also rises from €214 to €224 per month. For the establishment of outpatient living groups with care levels 1-5, start-up funding of €2,613 (max. €10,452 in total) is provided, instead of the previous €2,500 (previously max. €10,000).

Starting from July 1, 2025, the combined fund for preventive and short-term care will amount to €3,539.

famPLUS - Together for your personal PLUS!