If you care for a relative who needs care, you will sooner or later ask the same question: who takes over when I cannot, and how is that paid for? Respite care (Verhinderungspflege) and short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) are the two benefits of the German long-term care insurance designed for this purpose. Since 1 July 2025 they share one combined annual amount.
Short answer: Since 1 July 2025, people in need of care have a combined annual amount of 3,539 euros for respite care and short-term care. It covers a replacement carer at home or a limited stay in a residential care home. The figure comes from the vdek press release of 30 June 2025. Last updated: November 2026. Changes from 2027 are still in the legislative process and not yet binding.
Key points at a glance
- Respite care (Verhinderungspflege) replaces the usual carer when that person is temporarily unavailable, for example on holiday, through illness or during a rehabilitation stay.
- Short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) means a temporary full-time stay in a care facility, for example after a hospital discharge.
- Both benefits have been funded from one combined annual amount of 3,539 euros since 1 July 2025 (vdek, status 30 June 2025).
- According to Apotheken Umschau, the care relief allowance (Entlastungsbetrag) can currently also be used for the co-payment for short-term care (status 11 September 2026).
- The 2027 care reform is in the legislative process, and its rules for respite and short-term care are not yet settled.
What is the difference between respite care and short-term care?
Respite care is replacement care. Another person or a care service looks after the person in need of care while the usual carer is away. Short-term care is a temporary stay in a residential facility. Both benefits are meant to relieve home care, but they differ in place and purpose.
| Benefit | Purpose | Place | Amount as of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respite care (Verhinderungspflege) | Replacement carer during holidays, illness or other absence | At home or in the surroundings of the person in need of care | Combined annual amount of 3,539 euros since 1 July 2025 |
| Short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) | Temporary full-time care, e.g. after a hospital stay | Residential care facility | Combined annual amount of 3,539 euros since 1 July 2025 |
| Care relief allowance (Entlastungsbetrag) | Everyday help, e.g. household support or supervision; per Apotheken Umschau also co-payment for short-term care | At home and in some facilities | 131 euros per month (status 11 September 2026) |
For planning purposes, note that the care relief allowance is a separate budget. It does not replace respite or short-term care but supplements them. The guide on the care relief allowance explains the details.
What changed on 1 July 2025?
Since 1 July 2025, the care insurer no longer pays out separate pots for the two benefits but one combined annual amount. The vdek press release of 30 June 2025 names a total annual amount of 3,539 euros and the merger date. It refers to a decision taken under the Care Support and Relief Act (Pflegeunterstützungs- und Entlastungsgesetz). In practice, you plan both benefits from the same sum.
How does the annual amount work out in practice?
The amount is easy to spread over the year. The calculation shows an average, not the actual cost of a single period of care.
- Assumption: the combined annual amount of 3,539 euros is used in full.
- Divide the amount by twelve months: 3,539 euros divided by 12 is about 295 euros per month.
- Subtract what you have already spent on short-term or replacement care this year, so you know what remains for the coming months.
The actual cost of replacement care depends on the provider, the region and the number of hours. We therefore do not quote prices of individual care services or facilities. Providers publish their own rates.
What does the 2027 care reform mean for both benefits?
According to the federal government, the cabinet adopted the draft of the Care Reform Act (Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz) on 30 September 2026. The law is therefore not yet in force. According to Apotheken Umschau, the draft also describes a social area budget of 175 euros per month from care level 2 as successor to the care relief allowance, with rules from January 2027. Which requirements finally apply to respite and short-term care depends on the adopted text.
While the law is not adopted, the current legal position applies. A detailed overview of the reform is available in our 2027 care reform overview. For specific questions, the care insurer remains the first point of contact.
When does respite care come into consideration?
Typical reasons are holidays of the carer, the carer’s own illness, a hospital stay or a rehabilitation programme. A sudden gap, for example when a care worker drops out, can also create a need. Those who report the need early have a better chance of arranging suitable replacement care in time.
Both benefits require a recognised care level. The care insurer will tell you which documents it needs. A short overview of benefits by care level is provided in our guide on care levels and their benefits.
Short-term care and co-payments
In short-term care, a residential facility charges costs that the care insurer does not cover in full. Apotheken Umschau reports that the care relief allowance can currently be used for this co-payment. Whether and to what extent this applies in your case is confirmed by the care insurer. For planning, it helps to schedule remaining amounts from the care relief allowance before the year ends, because the article points to the risk that accumulated claims could lapse under the draft law.
Frequently asked questions
Can I combine respite care and short-term care in the same year?
Yes, both benefits are paid from the same combined annual amount. The total of your periods of care may not exceed that amount. The care insurer clarifies the exact settlement.
Do I have to register replacement care with the care insurer in advance?
It is advisable. The care insurer can tell you which documents it needs for settlement and what lead time applies in your case. An early enquiry avoids delays in reimbursement.
What happens to amounts I do not use this year?
Whether and how unused amounts carry over is regulated differently in current law and in the draft. Ask your care insurer before relying on a carry-over.
Where can I find the current amount reliably?
The most reliable sources are your care insurer and the official information of the Federal Ministry of Health. Press articles often describe the status of a draft rather than of an adopted law.
Does the 2027 care reform change my entitlement automatically?
No, not automatically. An entitlement changes only once a law has been adopted and has entered into force. Until then, the legal position applicable at the time applies.
What to do now
- Ask your care insurer how much of the combined annual amount is still available this year.
- Plan replacement care early and keep invoices and proof of payment.
- Check whether the care relief allowance can be used for the co-payment in short-term care in your case.
- Follow the legislative progress of the care reform and read the adopted text once it is published.
Related reading
- Care relief allowance: what it can be used for until 2026
- Applying for a care level: procedure, deadlines and assessment
- Social area budget in care: what 175 euros per month replace
- Care allowance 2027: what changes and what remains open
- Care reform 2027: what is settled and what is still in process
Sources:
- vdek, press release on the merger of respite care and short-term care, 30 June 2025
- Apotheken Umschau, care relief allowance: use the 2026 entitlements now, status 11 September 2026
- Federal Government, Care Reform Act (Pflegeneuordnungsgesetz), cabinet decision 30 September 2026, status November 2026
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
