Day care for older people in Germany: what care insurance pays and what you pay
Editorial team caalyx.eu · Updated 20 October 2026
For day care (Tagespflege), German long-term care insurance pays up to €721 a month at care grade 2, €1,357 at grade 3, €1,685 at grade 4 and €2,085 at grade 5. This budget is paid on top of the care allowance or home care service and is not offset against them. You pay meals, accommodation and the centre’s investment costs yourself, and you can use the relief amount of €131 a month towards these.
Day care amounts in 2026
The amounts are set out in § 41(2) of Book XI of the Social Code (SGB XI) and have applied unchanged since 1 January 2025. They cover care-related costs, social care and activities, and any medical treatment care (Behandlungspflege) needed at the centre.
| Care grade | Day care per month | Also available: care allowance | or benefits in kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | no separate amount (relief amount of €131 can be used) | - | - |
| 2 | up to €721 | €347 | up to €796 |
| 3 | up to €1,357 | €599 | up to €1,497 |
| 4 | up to €1,685 | €800 | up to €1,859 |
| 5 | up to €2,085 | €990 | up to €2,299 |
The care benefits calculator shows how these entitlements add up for a given care grade.
What care insurance covers and what it does not
A day care invoice usually has several components. Only some of them fall under the care insurance budget.
Covered by care insurance
- Care-related costs: help with personal care, mobility, eating and drinking.
- Social care: activities, group sessions and a structured day.
- Medical treatment care provided at the centre.
- Transport: necessary travel from home to the centre and back is part of the benefit under § 41(1) SGB XI.
Your own share
- Meals (breakfast, lunch, drinks).
- Accommodation (rooms, cleaning, running costs).
- Investment costs (building and equipment). Some federal states subsidise these, so the amount differs from place to place.
You can use the relief amount (Entlastungsbetrag) of €131 a month for this own share. It is reimbursed against invoices, and unused amounts can be carried over to the following calendar half-year. If your income is low, the local social welfare office (Sozialamt) may cover a remaining own share as part of care assistance (Hilfe zur Pflege); this is decided case by case.
Worked example: care grade 3
The daily rates below are assumed example figures, not market prices. Each centre agrees its own rates with the care insurance funds, so ask for the price list before signing.
Mrs K. has care grade 3, is cared for at home by her daughter and attends day care on eight days a month.
| Item | Assumption | Month |
|---|---|---|
| Care, activities, transport | €90 per day x 8 days | €720 |
| Meals, accommodation, investment costs | €30 per day x 8 days | €240 |
| Care insurance day care benefit (up to €1,357) | minus €720 | |
| Relief amount | minus €131 | |
| Remaining own share | €109 |
The care allowance of €599 continues to be paid in full, because day care is not offset. Part of the day care budget (€637 here) remains unused; it lapses at the end of the month and is not paid out.
How to get started with day care
- Secure a care grade: without one there is no day care budget. See applying for a care grade.
- Find a centre: check opening hours, the area served by the transport service and whether the centre has a care contract (Versorgungsvertrag) with the care insurance funds. Our directory of home care providers lists approved providers by region.
- Arrange a trial day: many centres offer one, so you can see whether the group, rooms and routine suit.
- Ask for a cost breakdown: request separate figures for care, meals, accommodation and investment costs.
- Sign the contract: check notice periods, rules for illness or holidays and which days are booked as fixed.
- Billing: the centre bills the care share directly to the care insurance fund. It invoices you for the own share, which you then submit to the fund to claim the relief amount, unless the centre settles this directly.
Common mistakes
- Reducing the care allowance as a precaution: not necessary, as day care and the allowance run side by side.
- Forgetting the relief amount: many families never claim it. Saved amounts lapse if they are not used by the end of the following calendar half-year.
- Looking only at the daily rate: what matters to your budget is the own share for meals, accommodation and investment costs.
Planned reform
With the Care Reorganisation Act (Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz, PNOG, cabinet draft of 30 September 2026), the German government plans changes from 2027, including dropping the relief amount for care grade 1. The law has not been passed yet. Until it is enacted, today’s rules and amounts apply.
More benefits for care at home are explained in our care benefits section. This article does not replace individual care or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is the care allowance reduced if we use day care?
No. Under § 41(3) SGB XI, day care is paid in addition to the care allowance, benefits in kind or the combination benefit, without reducing them.
Is day care covered at care grade 1?
There is no separate day care budget at care grade 1. However, the relief amount of €131 a month can be used to pay for day care.
Who pays for transport to the day care centre?
Necessary transport from home to the centre and back is part of day care under § 41 SGB XI and is billed to the care insurance fund within the monthly maximum.
Can an unused day care budget be carried over?
No. The monthly maximum is neither paid out nor carried forward. Only the unused relief amount can be carried over, into the following calendar half-year.