Care services: What will change in 2024?

The Federal Council passed the Care Support and Relief Act back in May 2023. In the first step, the financial basis was stabilised as of July 1st, 2023. In the second step – from January 1st, 2024 – the first relief measures, i.e. the increases in care benefits, will take effect. The next step will follow in 2025 and then again in 2028. An overview of the new benefits for carers and those affected:

Care allowance increase

On January 1st, 2024, the care allowance was increased by 5%. Recipients of care allowance automatically receive the increased benefit amount. The following amounts are paid to people in need of care according to their care degree:

• Care level 1: Still no entitlement to care allowance
• Care level 2: €322 (instead of previously €316)
• Care level 3: €572 (instead of previously €545)
• Care level 4: €764 (instead of previously €728)
• Care level 5: €946 (instead of previously €901)

Higher care benefits in kind for home care

The amounts for long-term care benefits in kind were also increased by 5% on January 1st:

• Care level 1: Still no entitlement to care benefits in kind
• Care level 2: €760 (instead of previously €724)
• Care level 3: €1,431 (instead of previously €1,363)
• Care level 4: €1,778 (instead of previously €1,693)
• Care level 5: €2,200 (instead of previously €2,095)

Higher budget for respite care

For young people in need of care with care grades 4 or 5 who have not yet reached the age of 25, new regulations will also apply from 1st of  January 2024: They are now entitled to a maximum of up to eight weeks of respite care per year. In addition, they can use all unused amounts of short-term care up to €1,774 for respite care, which amounts to a total of €3,386 per year. The previous pre-care period of six months no longer applies.

Annual care support allowance

Working people who have to care for a relative in an acute, unpredictable situation previously had the option of taking up to ten days off work. This leave of absence is unpaid. However, there is the option of receiving care support allowance from the care insurance fund. Until now, this benefit could only be claimed once per person in need of care.

Since January 1st, 2024 the entitlement to care support allowance has been renewed annually. This means that every year, employees have the opportunity to take up to ten days off work in the event of an emergency in the area of home care and apply for care support allowance from the care insurance fund of the person in need of care.

Service surcharge for full inpatient care

From January 1st, 2024 people in need of care from care level 2 will receive higher supplements on their care-related co-payment if they are accommodated in a fully inpatient care facility. The surcharges are based on the length of stay:

• Up to 12 months: 15 percent (instead of previously 5 percent)
• Up to 24 months: 30 percent (instead of previously 25 percent)
• Up to 36 months: 50 percent (instead of previously 45 percent)
• Up to 36 months: 75 percent (instead of previously 70 percent)

Billing takes place directly between the care facility and the care insurance fund, so that people in need of care do not have to worry about this.

Do you have any questions or need support? We at Viva Family Service are here for you.