Social security for a caregiver

Family members and loved ones who give up their job to care for their relatives should also be adequately insured. For family caregivers, losing their salary not only means financial losses, but also raises the question: "How are family caregivers insured?" Who pays the social insurance contributions for them? And what happens in the event of an accident or illness? There is also the question of pensions.

To clarify these insurance-related aspects, I have prepared a summary for you here.

Requirements for pension insurance for care work

The long-term care insurance pays into the pension insurance and pays the contributions for family members who provide care and persons who do not work full-time and who care for one or more persons in need of care for at least ten hours a week, regularly spread over at least two days a week, as long as these persons do not regularly work more than 30 hours a week.

These pension insurance contributions are paid until you reach retirement age and draw a full old-age pension under the statutory pension insurance scheme. Contributions can continue to be paid even if a partial pension is drawn. The amount of the contributions depends on the care level of the person(s) receiving care and the type of benefits received.

In 2024, pension insurance contributions to the long-term care fund will amount to between EUR 124.27 and EUR 657.51 per month in the old federal states and between EUR 121.81 and EUR 644.49 in the new federal states.

Due to the pension insurance contributions paid, carers will be treated in 2024 as if they received a monthly salary of between EUR 668.12 and EUR 3,535.00 in the old federal states and between EUR 654.89 and EUR 3,465.00 in the new federal states. A monthly pension entitlement of between 6.65 and 35.16 euros in the old federal states and between 6.61 and 34.95 euros in the new federal states can be acquired for one year of care work (as of January 1, 2024).

Which carer is not covered by pension insurance?

Some special groups of people and carers in certain situations are exempt from compulsory pension insurance. This means that they cannot earn pension contributions through their care work, even though they meet the other requirements.

You are not covered by pension insurance as a carer if you:

1. are younger than 15 years,
2. only temporarily replace a caregiver due to vacation or illness,
3. are not expected to provide care for more than two months or 60 days per year,
4. carry out care work as part of a Voluntary Social Year (FSJ) or Federal Voluntary Service (BFD),
5. within the framework of your religious affiliation, or
6. are already drawing a full retirement pension from the regular retirement age, a pension or a comparable retirement pension.

Accident insurance

As soon as care work is taken up and there is at least care level 2, the insurance cover of the statutory accident insurance automatically applies. The care must be provided in the home environment and comprise at least ten hours per week, spread over at least two regular days.

The carer does not have to register separately or submit a separate application. The contributions to long-term care accident insurance are paid by the local authorities so that neither the person in need of care nor the caregiver are burdened.

Accident insurance covers the following cases:

1. If the caregiver suffers an accident. It is important to note that accidents on the way to or from the caregiver to the person in need of care are only recognized if the caregiver is directly on the way.
2. If the caregiver suffers from an occupational disease, including diseases due to physical strain or skin diseases due to intolerance to the products needed for care.
3. If the caregiver becomes infected with diseases of the person in need of care while providing care.

When accident insurance comes into force, carers are entitled to various benefits. These include medical and dental treatment as well as medical rehabilitation measures. If, as a result of the accident, the carer is no longer able to carry out their previous profession as before the accident, they may be entitled to retraining or other training.

Under certain conditions, accident insurance also offers wage replacement benefits or pension payments.

Which care activities are covered by statutory accident insurance?

Statutory accident insurance takes into account the basis for determining the need for care and therefore offers protection in various areas:

1. Household management: This includes activities such as preparing meals, tidying and cleaning (e.g. setting the table, washing clothes) and accompanying people to authorities and banks.
2. Mobility: This includes support when walking or climbing stairs.
3. Cognitive and communication skills: This includes help with complex everyday tasks such as making coffee.
4. Behavioral and psychological problems: This includes dealing with anxiety or delusions as well as self-protection in the event of aggressive behavior on the part of the person in need of care.
5. Self-care: This includes assistance with washing, showering or bathing.
6. Coping with illness- and therapy-related demands and stresses and promoting independent coping: This includes accompanying the patient to medical or therapy appointments.
7. Organizing everyday life and social contacts: This includes maintaining sufficient rest and sleep phases as well as support with suitable leisure activities such as arts and crafts or watching television.

Unemployment insurance for caregivers

Unemployment insurance contributions are also paid by the long-term care insurance fund for caregivers and they are automatically insured under the unemployment insurance scheme. Certain conditions must be met for this to be possible:

1. The caregiver was already insured under the unemployment insurance scheme before starting their care work, either due to a previous employment relationship or because they were already receiving benefits in accordance with Social Code III, such as unemployment benefit.
2. The care is not carried out for profit.
3. The caregiver looks after at least one person in need of care with a care level between 2 and 5.
4. The nursing activity regularly extends over at least two days per week.
5. Care is provided in the home environment of the person in need of care.

Carers have the option of applying for unemployment benefit and claiming employment promotion benefits once their caring role has ended. However, it should be noted that this regulation only applies if the carer is not already covered by unemployment insurance through other employment, for example through part-time employment.

Continued payment of pension and unemployment insurance contributions during leave

For the duration of vacation of up to six weeks per calendar year, pension and unemployment insurance contributions will continue to be paid by the long-term care insurance fund. This means that the pension entitlement remains undiminished for the period of leave and unemployment insurance cover is maintained.

Health insurance

Family caregivers must ensure that they have health insurance, as there is a general health insurance obligation.

Pensioners who provide care remain insured through their pensioners' health insurance as before.

Employees who continue to pursue employment subject to social insurance contributions alongside their care work automatically remain covered by their employer's health insurance.

Caring spouses can be or become family insured under certain circumstances.

People who are unemployed, receive basic income support or social assistance are automatically insured against sickness.

Anyone who does not fulfill any of the above points must take out voluntary health insurance. In most cases, the long-term care insurance fund will support the payment of the minimum contributions to health and long-term care insurance on application, for example in the case of full-time care or a mini-job alongside care work.

Social insurance for family carers

Many family members decide to give up their job completely or partially in order to care for a family member at home. Sometimes it is only possible to take on a mini-job. As the salary is no longer paid, the question arises as to who pays the social insurance contributions for family carers and how they are insured.

To ensure that family carers have at least basic cover, the long-term care insurance fund pays contributions to unemployment insurance, health insurance, pension insurance and accident insurance under certain conditions.

However, certain requirements must be met in order to receive these benefits. Please check whether you meet all the requirements or whether you need to make any changes to ensure that your social security contributions are covered.

Addition and multiple care

In the event that care for a single person does not reach the required minimum level, there is the option of adding up care. In this case, the care hours for several people can be added together in order to meet the requirements for the care contributions.

For example, if you care for both your father and your mother, each for around 6 hours per week on several days. This would give you a total of 12 hours of care per week and thus meet the necessary requirements.

On the other hand, several carers who jointly care for a person in need of care can share the pension entitlements among themselves. However, each person must meet the requirements separately and not all together.

An example of this would be if you and two of your siblings share the care of your mother. Each of you who provides care for at least 10 hours on at least two days a week meets the requirements and can claim pension contributions accordingly.

Application for pension points for care

As part of the application for care benefits, you will usually receive a questionnaire on the payment of social security contributions for carers who are not gainfully employed. This questionnaire records the care activities of relatives and their professional situation. It is important that you complete this questionnaire in full.

The long-term care insurance fund uses this questionnaire to check whether the caregiver is entitled to pension contributions. If this is the case, the contributions are automatically paid by the long-term care insurance fund.

However, if you are unsure, as a caregiver you can contact the care insurance fund directly. However, you should not do this with your own care insurance fund, but with the care insurance fund of the person in need of care.

How is the pension contribution calculated?

The pension contribution is calculated on the basis of notional income, which means that it is assumed that you earn a certain income from your care work. The long-term care insurance fund then pays the usual pension insurance contributions of 18.6% based on this contribution assessment basis.

The contribution assessment basis is derived from the average remuneration of the statutory pension insurance, which is determined annually by the federal government.

In 2024, the contribution assessment basis will be

• 3,535 euros per month in West Germany
• 3,465 euros per month in eastern Germany

From 2025, there will no longer be separate contribution assessment bases for eastern and western Germany, but only a single size.