Benefits for family members providing care

Short-term care/holiday stand-in or respite care

If a family member who provides care becomes ill or wants to go on holiday, they can apply for a substitute to take over for a period of six weeks. Up to €1,612 is available per year for what is known as holiday stand-in or respite care (Verhinderungspflege). In addition, up to 50 percent of short-term care benefit (Kurzzeitpflegebetrag) may be used to pay for holiday stand-in/respite care in the home.

The greater flexibility allowed in claiming these various benefits enables the individual needs of family carers to better be met. For example, up to 40 percent of the funds for home care benefits in kind can be used to pay for low-threshold nursing services and support.

Employees who need to organise care for a close relative at short notice may under the Care Leave Act (Pflegezeitgesetz) take up to ten days away from work. And since 2015, they may also apply for income-replacement benefit (known as care support allowance [Pflegeunterstützungsgeld]) – also for a period of up to ten days.

With the Act to Improve Reconciliation of Family, Care and Work, employees are given the opportunity to take up to six months away from work in order to care for a close relative at home. They are also entitled to reduce their working hours to a minimum 15 hours per week for a period of up to two years. To cushion loss of earnings during that time, employees may apply to the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) to receive an interest-free loan.