Politics · Germany · 1 day ago
German care reform plan draws criticism over support for family caregivers
Germany is planning changes to benefits for people who provide care at home.
The Social Association of Germany, known as SoVD, says the changes could leave family caregivers with less support.
Under the current system, caregivers can use a separate benefit to pay for someone else to provide care when they are ill, away or temporarily unavailable.
The plan would fold that benefit into a new annual “bridging budget” of €2,285.
That is less than the current replacement-care allowance, which can reach €3,559 a year, and SoVD says it could also reduce flexibility for short periods of help.
The Health Ministry rejects the criticism and says the new system will make applying easier.
The changes are still subject to parliamentary consideration, and a Bavarian CSU leader says the plan should be adjusted if it disadvantages caregivers.
Germany’s planned care reform has drawn criticism from the Social Association of Germany (SoVD) over support for family caregivers.
The plan would combine several home-care benefits in a new bridging budget and end respite care as a separate entitlement.
SoVD chair Michaela Engelmeier says caregivers would lose financial flexibility for breaks and replacement care.
The proposed bridging budget would provide €2,285 a year, below the previous respite-care allowance of up to €3,559 a year.
The Health Ministry rejects the criticism, saying the new system would remove the need for a complex application when respite care is needed.
- Who
- The Social Association of Germany and patient advocate Eugen Brysch criticized the plan. The Health Ministry rejected the criticism.
- What
- A planned reform would combine home-care benefits in a new bridging budget and end respite care as a separate entitlement.
- When
- The article was published on 10 October 2026. The reform’s implementation date is not stated.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- Critics say the new budget would give family caregivers less support and flexibility for replacement care and breaks.
SoVD and patient advocates
German Health Ministry
Support for family caregivers
SoVD and patient advocates
The reform would leave caregivers with less financial support and flexibility for respite and replacement care.
German Health Ministry
The new bridging budget would provide support, and an elaborate application in cases requiring respite care would no longer be necessary.
The reform weakens precisely those who carry our care system.
Now family caregivers are supposed to get even less support than before for urgently needed breaks.
a complex application in the event of respite care is no longer necessary
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Previous respite-care allowance
- Up to €3,559 a year
- Proposed bridging budget
- €2,285 a year
- SoVD chair
- Michaela Engelmeier
- Health minister named in article
- Carsten Linnemann (CDU)
Sources
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