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Emergency

Care home too expensive? Help with the personal contribution

Long-term care insurance only pays a subsidy; the personal contribution in a care home is often high and rising. When pension and savings are not enough, you do not have to give up the place: the social welfare office helps with assistance with care.

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Your chances of getting your money back

The care insurance fund only covers a fixed benefit amount; the resident pays the rest (care personal contribution, accommodation, meals, investment costs) themselves.
If income and assets are not sufficient, the social welfare office covers the uncovered home costs through assistance with care (SGB XII). You keep a protected amount of assets; children are only called upon from an annual gross income of over 100,000 euros (Relatives Relief Act).

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Determine the gap

    Compare the home costs with your own income (pension, etc.) and your assets.

  2. 2

    2. Apply at the social welfare office

    Apply for assistance with care (SGB XII) at the social welfare office, ideally early.

  3. 3

    3. Know the protected assets

    You may keep a certain amount of protected assets; not everything has to be used up.

  4. 4

    4. Children only from 100,000 euros

    Recourse to children for support only applies from over 100,000 euros of the child's annual gross income.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I cannot pay the home personal contribution?

Then assistance with care under SGB XII helps: the social welfare office covers the uncovered home costs if income and assets are not sufficient. You keep a protected amount of assets. You should apply to the social welfare office early.

Do my children have to pay for the home costs?

Only in exceptional cases. Since the Relatives Relief Act, children liable for support are only called upon when their annual gross income exceeds 100,000 euros. If it is below that, the social welfare office steps in without recourse to the children.

Take action now

We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.