Politics · Germany · 5 hrs ago
Germany plans to skip 2028 increase in long-term care benefits
Germany's government wants to cancel a scheduled increase in care benefits for 2028.
The change would affect people who receive care at home, including those paid Pflegegeld, and their families.
Under current law, benefit amounts are due to rise on 1 January 2028, based on inflation, with wage growth limiting the increase.
The government says the social care insurance system faces large projected deficits, and estimates that skipping the increase would cut its 2028 spending by €4.7 billion.
For households, unchanged payments could buy less if the cost of care and other needs rises.
The cabinet has approved a draft law, but the 2028 increase remains in current law until parliament changes it.
The proposal would bring in annual adjustments from 2029, but it does not promise a catch-up payment for 2028; the amounts will depend on the rules and price changes.
Germany’s government plans to suspend a legally scheduled increase in long-term care insurance benefits due on 1 January 2028.
The proposal would instead introduce annual adjustments from 2029, but the new law has not been passed.
The government says the change is needed because of the long-term care insurance system’s strained finances.
The 2028 increase would have been calculated using core inflation, subject to a limit based on wage growth.
The draft does not provide for a later catch-up payment for the skipped increase.
- Who
- Germany’s federal government.
- What
- It plans to suspend the scheduled 2028 increase in long-term care benefits and introduce annual adjustments from 2029.
- When
- The planned increase is due on 1 January 2028; annual adjustments would begin in 2029 if the proposal becomes law.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- The government cites the strained finances of the social long-term care insurance system.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The federal cabinet approved a draft law proposing to suspend the 2028 increase.
The Bundestag was scheduled to hold its first debate on the draft, according to the announcement cited by Gegen Hartz IV.
The increase provided for under current law is due to take effect unless the law is changed.
The draft proposes annual adjustments to benefits from this year.
- Planned 2028 change
- Suspend the scheduled increase in long-term care benefits
- Current-law increase date
- 1 January 2028
- Proposed annual adjustments
- From 2029
- Cabinet approval of draft
- 30 September 2026
- Estimated 2028 savings
- €4.7 billion in lower spending for the long-term care insurance system, according to the draft’s financial overview