Up to €990 a month: what a Pflegegrad is and how to get one in Germany
Veröffentlicht am 30. September 2026 · Sonnenstrahlen Pflege, Berlin
Up to €990 a month – that is what a Pflegegrad can be worth. A Pflegegrad is your care grade in the German long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung). It runs from 1 to 5 and decides which benefits you receive: a care allowance for family carers, a budget for a home care service, and several extra funds. The grade depends on how independent a person still is, measured in points by an assessor – not on the diagnosis.
What is a Pflegegrad?
Since 2017, the Pflegegrad has replaced the old system of three Pflegestufen. It is defined in Book XI of the German Social Code (SGB XI). An assessor looks at six areas of life:
- mobility
- cognitive and communication skills
- behaviour and psychological problems
- self-care: washing, dressing, eating, using the toilet
- coping with illness and therapy: medication, wounds, doctor's visits
- organising the day and social contacts
The need for help must be expected to last at least six months. A short recovery after an operation does not lead to a Pflegegrad.
How many points do you need for each Pflegegrad?
The assessor awards up to 100 points. Self-care alone counts for up to 40 of them.
- 12.5 to under 27 points: Pflegegrad 1
- 27 to under 47.5 points: Pflegegrad 2
- 47.5 to under 70 points: Pflegegrad 3
- 70 to under 90 points: Pflegegrad 4
- 90 to 100 points: Pflegegrad 5
Our Pflegegrad calculator goes through the same six areas and shows your points instantly – free of charge, anonymous and without sign-up.
What does each Pflegegrad pay in 2026?
The monthly amounts have applied since January 2025 and remain unchanged in 2026:
- Pflegegrad 1: €131 relief amount (Entlastungsbetrag), no care allowance
- Pflegegrad 2: €347 care allowance (Pflegegeld), or up to €796 for a home care service
- Pflegegrad 3: €599, or up to €1,497 for a home care service
- Pflegegrad 4: €800, or up to €1,859 for a home care service
- Pflegegrad 5: €990, or up to €2,299 for a home care service
On top of that, every grade receives the €131 relief amount for support and household help, and grades 2 to 5 have up to €3,539 a year for respite and short-term care. Care allowance and a home care service can be combined: the allowance is reduced only by the share of the budget the service uses.
How do you apply for a Pflegegrad?
- Call your Pflegekasse: the long-term care fund sits with your health insurer. A phone call counts as an application, and benefits start from the month in which it arrives.
- Home assessment: the Medizinischer Dienst visits for statutory insurance, MEDICPROOF for private insurance.
- Decision: the fund must decide within 25 working days. If it is late, it pays you €70 for every week or part of a week.
- Insurance period: you need to have been insured for at least two of the last ten years – relevant if you moved to Germany recently.
Tip: keep a care diary for one or two weeks before the visit, and describe the bad days, not the good ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Pflegegrad the same as a Pflegestufe?
No. The three Pflegestufen were replaced by five Pflegegrade in January 2017. Everyone who had a Pflegestufe was moved to a Pflegegrad automatically.
Can I get a Pflegegrad as a foreigner living in Berlin?
Yes. Nationality does not matter. What matters is that you are covered by German long-term care insurance and meet the insurance period of two years within the last ten years.
Does the Pflegegrad depend on the diagnosis?
No. The assessment measures how independently someone manages washing, dressing, eating, moving and other activities. Two people with the same illness can receive different grades.
How we can help
Searching for a “Pflegedienst near me” in Berlin, or for home care in Berlin that speaks English? Call us on 030 64828209 or use the form on sonnenstrahlen-pflege.de. We advise free of charge in English, German and Russian and get back to you on the same working day.
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