Everyday Assistance: Your individual support

Are you aware that your care insurance may cover assistance costs?

My services may be funded by the care insurance fund, as I am recognized and approved in North Rhine-Westphalia as an everyday assistant in accordance with §§ 45a, 45b SGB XI. (PfAD.UiA - Everyday Assistance in NorthRhineWestfalia)

Which care insurance benefits can be used specifically for assitance services?

Nursing Care and Assistance Services are often confused. While nursing care services are aimed at physical and medical care (e.g. washing, dressing, administering medication, etc.), assistance can be funded specifically for social, everyday support and activating services.

These ease the load on relatives, promote independence in a familiar living environment and improve the quality of life of those in need of care.

That's how it works:

Relief amount may be utilized
Care allowance may be utilized
Care benefits-in-kind can be converted: Up to 40 % of the monthly care benefits-in-kind can be used for recognised assistance services.
Short-term care may be utilizied

Details on the individual services listed further down below.

What does this mean to you?

These budgets enable holistic care that is specifically geared towards social and everyday activities, so that the soul is also taken care of. Support staff helps to positively shape everyday life and ease the burden on relatives - without these funds having to be used for physical nursing care.

Billing and flexibility

Using Care Insurance *

There are two ways to bill my services through care insurance:

By reimbursement (advance payment)

The invoice is initially paid by yourself.
The invoice is submitted to the care insurance provider.
Your care insurance provider will reimburse the amount to your account.

By declaration of assignment (direct billing)

A declaration of assignment is signed.
My invoicing is done directly with your care insurance provider.

Self-paying: My services can of course also be used privately, as a self-payer.

Combination possible: Additional hours beyond care insurance benefits can be booked at any time.

*This must be checked individually with your own health insurance provider, as there may be differences, especially with statutory or private insurance.

Top 5 reasons for choosing everyday assistance:

Holistic approach: Promoting physical and mental health in order to stay at home in a familiar environment for as long as possible.
Personal care: I build a trusting relationship and respond to individual needs.
Flexibility: I adapt to daily routines and habits.
Continuity: Regular care from one familiar person.
Easing the load on relatives: More time for yourself and other commitments.

Details on the individual service options:

Relief amount

All people in need of long-term care (grade 1 to 5) are entitled to a monthly relief amount that is specifically intended for low-barrier assistance and relief services. In 2025, this will be 131 euros per month.

This amount can be used for everyday assistance services recognized under state law, including:

Providing company, e.g. reading aloud, conversations or shared hobbies
Taking people for walks, shopping or to appointments
Support with leisure activities, e.g. visiting museums

This is how billing works:

You must initially bear the costs yourself.
You then submit the receipts to your care insurance provider.
Your care insurance provider will reimburse the costs up to a maximum of 131 euros per month.
Unused amounts can be carried forward to subsequent months.
Amounts can even be used until June 30 the following year.

It is worth checking your current entitlement, as there may be funds available that have not been claimed yet!

Care allowance & Care benefits-in-kind

Both apply to those in need of care with care level 2 or higher and can also be combined depending on the individual situation.

What is the difference between them?

The main difference between care allowance and care benefits-in-kind is in the way the benefit is provided and how it is used:

Care Allowance:

Is paid directly to the person in need of care
Is intended for the independent provision of home care, which also includes everyday assistance
Can be used freely as long as home care is ensured

Care benefits-in-kind

Is settled directly with the care insurance provider and not directly paid out to the person in need of care
Is used for professional and recognized services
Includes body-related care measures, everyday assistance and help with housekeeping.

Care allowance can also be used for everyday assistance.

It is possible to convert up to 40% of the monthly care benefits-in-kind for everyday assistance.

The amount of these benefits increases accordingly with each care level. Care allowance and care benefits-in-kind can be combined.

Respite care

Respite care is a long-term care insurance benefit that enables those in need of care with care level 2 or higher to make use of substitute care if their main caregiver is temporarily unavailable.

From July this year, there will be a few changes here, so that benefits in the context of everyday support will be provided as follows:

Current regulation (up to June 30, 2025):

The budget for respite care is separate from short-term care
The duration of respite care is limited to a maximum of six weeks
A pre-care period of six months applies
It is possible to use part of the respite care for recognized everyday assistance.
Unlike the conversion of benefits-in-kind (max. 40%), there is no fixed percentage limit here

New regulation (from July 1, 2025):

A joint annual budget for respite and short-term care will be introduced
This budget can be used flexibly for both types of service, including recognized everyday assistance
The duration of respite care will be increased to eight weeks per year
The previously required six-month pre-care period no longer applies
The following still applies: unlike the conversion of benefits-in- kind (max. 40%), there is no fixed percentage limit here

In order to claim benefits, people in need of care can apply to their care insurance provider for reimbursement of the costs of services for everyday support that are recognized under state law. The care insurance provider then automatically checks the entitlement to reimbursement.

Once again, the difference between nursing care and everyday assistance services:

Respite care primarily serves as a replacement for the regular caregiver and includes all necessary care activities. It can be provided by professional carers or trained replacement carers.

Everyday Assistance services, on the other hand, focus on non-nursing assistance in daily life. This includes, for example, taking people for walks, assistance with bureaucratic procedures, help with household chores or social care.

These services are in addition to nursing care, but do not replace it.