Respite care guide
Using respite care by the hour: a break for family carers
If you look after a relative at home, you need time for yourself too: for a doctor's appointment, to see friends or simply to catch your breath. Respite care (Verhinderungspflege) can be used by the hour for exactly this. We explain what the long-term care fund (Pflegekasse) pays for, how billing works and how we look after your relative while you are away.
What is respite care?
Respite care is a benefit from the long-term care fund for people who are looked after at home by relatives, friends or neighbours. If this carer is unavailable, for example because of a holiday, illness or an appointment of their own, the care fund pays for someone to step in. The law calls this substitute care (Ersatzpflege), and it is set out in § 39 SGB XI.
The requirement is care level 2 or higher. This refers to the care level (Pflegegrad) of the person being looked after, not of the carer. Our guide on applying for a care level explains how to get one.
The stand-in does not have to be a nursing service. A recognised service such as Alltagsdienst Sperling can also step in by the hour. We want to be clear about one thing: we are not a nursing service. When we step in, we keep your relative company, with conversation, reading aloud, board games or a walk. We do not provide personal hygiene or medical care, but we can put you in touch with nursing services if needed. You can find out more on our page about companionship and support for seniors.
The combined annual budget: up to 3,539 euros
Since 1 July 2025, respite care and short-term care (Kurzzeitpflege) share a combined annual budget (Gemeinsamer Jahresbetrag, § 42a SGB XI). From care level 2 you have up to 3,539 euros per calendar year for both. You decide how to split the amount between the two benefits. If you do not need short-term care, you can use the full amount for respite care.
One hurdle has also gone. In the past, the carer had to have looked after their relative for six months before respite care was possible. This prior care period (Vorpflegezeit) no longer exists, so you can use the benefit even if you only recently took on the care.
Respite care is limited to a maximum of eight weeks a year. As the next section shows, this limit does not matter when you use it by the hour.
Respite care by the hour: the under eight hours rule
You do not have to take respite care in one block. You can also use it for a few hours at a time, such as one afternoon a week. One important rule applies to hourly respite care. If the stand-in care lasts less than eight hours on a given day, the following applies:
- The day does not count towards the eight weeks per year.
- Your care allowance (Pflegegeld) is not reduced.
This means you can take a few hours' break again and again throughout the year, as long as the combined annual budget lasts. You keep receiving the full care allowance, for example 347 euros a month at care level 2.
Things are different if the stand-in care lasts eight hours or more a day, for instance while the carer is on holiday. Those days count towards the eight weeks, and different rules apply to the care allowance. We are happy to advise you on your individual situation.
Everyday examples
Three examples show what hourly breaks can look like.
A regular free afternoon
A woman looks after her husband, who has care level 3, at home. Every Tuesday from 2 pm to 5 pm, one of our companions comes by. The two of them go for a walk, play cards or leaf through old photo albums. His wife uses the time for her choir, for errands or simply for a rest. Because each visit stays under eight hours, the care allowance remains unchanged.
The carer's own doctor's appointment
A son looks after his mother, who has care level 2. He has his own appointment with a specialist and does not know how long he will have to wait. For that morning, our everyday companion steps in. She keeps his mother company and prepares a light lunch with her.
When the carer falls ill
If the daughter who usually looks after her father is in bed with flu for a few days, a few hours of company each day can make sure he is not alone. If he needs help with personal hygiene, a nursing service comes in addition, and we can arrange the contact. Whether we can step in at short notice depends on whether a team member is available near you. So it is best to talk to us before an emergency arises.
How billing with the care fund works
Respite care is billed through the long-term care fund. With us, it works in four steps:
Check your entitlement
In a free initial phone call we check whether care level 2 or higher has been granted and how much of the combined annual budget is still available this year. If in doubt, your care fund can tell you.
Apply to the care fund
Respite care is applied for at the care fund. We help you with the application and tell you what information your fund needs.
Start the support
After an initial visit at your home, a regular companion comes at the agreed times. If she is on holiday or ill, we arrange a replacement.
Billing
We bill the hours provided to the care fund. The costs are deducted from the combined annual budget.
Combining respite care with the relief allowance
Hourly respite care combines well with the relief allowance (Entlastungsbetrag). These are two separate benefits from the care fund:
- Relief allowance: 131 euros a month from care level 1, earmarked for recognised everyday support services. No separate application is needed, we bill your care fund directly.
- Combined annual budget: up to 3,539 euros per calendar year from care level 2 for respite care and short-term care.
A sensible split could look like this: you use the relief allowance for regular help, such as weekly cleaning or a fixed companionship visit. Respite care comes on top whenever the carer needs extra time for themselves. This gives you more hours of support than either benefit could provide alone.
Unused relief allowance does not expire straight away. Our article on saving up the relief allowance explains how long you can still use it. From care level 2, the conversion entitlement (Umwandlungsanspruch) may also be an option. If you would like to know what makes most sense in your situation, call us on 07121 159 10 58, Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Frequently asked questions
What is hourly respite care?
It is respite care that lasts less than eight hours on a given day. It does not count towards the eight weeks per year and does not reduce the care allowance. It is paid for from the combined annual budget.
How much is the combined annual budget?
Since 1 July 2025, up to 3,539 euros per calendar year have been available from care level 2 for respite care and short-term care. You can split the amount freely between the two.
Do I have to have looked after my relative for six months first?
No. The former prior care period of six months no longer applies. The requirement is that the person you look after has care level 2 or higher.
Does Alltagsdienst Sperling provide nursing care as part of respite care?
No, we are not a nursing service. We look after your relative by the hour, keep them company, go for walks or accompany them to appointments. For personal hygiene or medical care, we put you in touch with nursing services.
Can I use respite care and the relief allowance at the same time?
Yes, they are two separate benefits. You can use the relief allowance of 131 euros a month for regular help and the combined annual budget for additional hourly breaks. We will advise you free of charge on how best to split them.
Sources
- § 39 SGB XI (Social Code Book XI)
- § 42a SGB XI (Social Code Book XI)
- § 45b SGB XI (Social Code Book XI)
This article reflects the legal situation on the date given and is not legal advice. We review the amounts every year at the turn of the year.
