Care level 1 in Germany
Care Level 1 offers support for people with minor impairments to independence – from the 131-euro relief allowance to care counseling. Find out how to make the best use of the benefits!
Care Level 1 is far more than just a bureaucratic classification – it is your personal safety net. It is aimed at people who can still manage their everyday lives largely on their own but need support with the first hurdles. Whether it’s the heavy shopping bag or uncertainty in the bathroom: With a budget of over 130 euros per month and substantial grants for home modifications, this care level safeguards your quality of life before the limitations take over.
In this guide, we’ll take you step by step through the year 2026 and show you how to get the maximum support.
What to expect in this guide:
- Financial check: Which budgets you are entitled to in 2026 (relief allowance, aids & more).
- The path to the decision notice: A simple roadmap from submitting the application to the assessor’s visit.
- Secure living comfort: How you can receive up to 4,180 euros in subsidies for a barrier-free home.
- Relieve relatives: Which forms of help noticeably ease everyday family life.
- Practical tips: How to prepare optimally for the assessment to get the necessary points.
Imagine your daily life is still going pretty well, but with some things you notice: “On my own, it’s slowly getting difficult.” This is exactly where Care Level 1 comes in. It’s not a stop sign, but your personal safety net that kicks in before limitations take over.
Care Level 1 is the lowest level of care dependency and was created specifically for people who are still largely independent but already need occasional support in certain areas of everyday life.
Assessment by the Medical Service (MD)
Whether someone is classified as Care Level 1 is decided by an assessor from the Medical Service (MD) using the “New Assessment Assessment” (NBA). Points are awarded in six different areas of life, including mobility, cognitive abilities, self-care.
- Score: Care Level 1 applies if 12.5 to under 27 points are achieved during the assessment.
Who is affected?
This care level is aimed at people who can still manage their everyday lives on their own for the most part, but show the first physical or mental limitations. This includes people who:
- Have limited mobility (e.g., difficulties climbing stairs or standing up).
- Show problems with orientation (e.g., early forgetfulness or difficulties placing things in time).
- Need help around the household (e.g., shopping, cooking, or cleaning the home).
- Need support with self-care (e.g., getting dressed and undressed or personal hygiene).
Care levels vs. former care categories
With the second Long-Term Care Strengthening Act, there was a fundamental reform on 01/01/2017:
- System change: The old three care categories were replaced by five care levels.
- Focus on independence: Whereas in the past the time required for physical care was primarily measured, today the degree of individual independence is the focus.
- Prevention: Care Level 1 was introduced completely anew. It serves to support people early on so that they can stay in their own home environment for as long as possible before a more severe need for care arises.
If you’re dealing with the topic of care for the first time, you’re probably looking first for the “care allowance” – the amount the fund transfers directly to your account each month. Here we need to clear up a small myth right away:
With Care Level 1, there is no cash care allowance for you to use freely.
But don’t lose heart! Even if your account balance doesn’t jump up directly, the long-term care fund provides you with a valuable “credit account” to use. Think of it like a digital voucher pot that you can draw from each month to make your life easier.
Your monthly budget (as of 2026)
Here, the amounts come together that support you in everyday life:
- The relief allowance (131 euros): Your monthly joker. Whether you need a helping hand cleaning windows, someone to go shopping with you, or an escort to the doctor – these 131 euros are exactly for that.
- Your advantage: What you don’t use in one month, you simply save. That way you build up a small cushion for bigger tasks like a spring clean.
- The care aids box (up to 42 euros): Hygiene is a top priority here. Whether disposable gloves, disinfectant, or bed protection pads – the fund covers the costs for items you use every day.
- The personal emergency response system (approx. 26.65 euros): One push of a button for your safety. The long-term care fund generally covers the basic rental fee for your emergency call system so that you feel completely safe in your own home.
- Digital helpers (up to 52.25 euros): In the modern world, there are “apps by prescription” (DiPAs). Whether memory training or fall prevention via tablet – here there is a monthly subsidy for your digital assistants.
The big cash injection: Your conversion bonus
Sometimes it’s the door thresholds or the bathtub that’s too high that make life difficult. This is where the long-term care fund really digs deep:
- Home modifications (up to 4,180 euros): Do you want to convert your bathroom to be barrier-free or do you need a stairlift? For such “home environment improvement measures,” you can receive a grant of up to 4,180 euros per measure. That is real money that secures your independence at home.
Your entitlements at a glance
In this table you can see exactly where you already receive full support and where the journey only begins at higher care levels:
For many people, getting Care Level 1 initially feels like a bureaucratic jungle. But there’s actually a very fair system behind it: It’s not about what you can no longer do, but about how much support you need in everyday life in order to continue living your own life.
So that you receive Care Level 1, an assessor from the Medical Service will visit you. They look at six different “stations” of your life. In each station you collect points – the harder something is for you, the more points end up in your basket.
The 6 areas of life: Your everyday routine under review
The assessor doesn’t just go by gut feeling. They use a fixed point system for six different areas of life. Not every area counts the same – some, such as daily personal hygiene, carry more weight in your classification.
Source: md-bund.de
Behind each of these six areas is a large number of criteria that are assessed individually. The score for each module is added up and weighted to produce the total score, which then determines the care level. This creates an accurate picture of how much support you need in daily life.
The magic threshold: When is it enough for Care Level 1?
At the end of the visit, all points from these six areas are added up. Some areas (such as self-care) count more than others – almost like a weighted school grade.
- Care Level 1: You need between 12.5 and under 27 points. That means: you’re still an “everyday pro,” but at the edges of your independence things are already starting to crumble.
- Care Level 2: From 27 points the scales tip. Here, the impairment of your independence is already “significant,” and you move up to the next level, where for the first time there is also real care allowance.
Applying for a care level feels to many like setting off to climb a mountain: you only see the huge peak made of forms and assessments. But don’t worry—you don’t have to sprint this path. It’s more like a well-planned hike, and now we’ll map out the route together.
In 4 steps to the decision letter
Here is your checklist so you can reach your goal safely:
The application: Get the ball rolling:
A quick call to your long-term care insurance fund (it’s part of your health insurer) is often enough. Just say: “I would like to apply for care benefits.” You will then be sent a form. Tip: The date of your call counts! If the application is approved, benefits are granted retroactively from that day.
Scheduling: Waiting for the mail:
After you send the form back, the Medical Service (MD) will contact you. You will receive a letter with an appointment for a home visit. It’s like an invitation to an important conversation in your familiar living room.
The visit and the assessment:
An assessor will come to your home. They don’t want to see a perfect apartment; they want to understand what your day-to-day life looks like. Together with you, they go through the six areas of life we discussed above. They’re not an “examiner,” but an investigator of your need for support.
Reaching the goal: The decision letter:
A few weeks later, a letter will arrive in your mailbox. It states your care level and how many points the assessor awarded. From now on, you can use your benefits (such as the 131-euro relief amount)!
Well prepared is half the battle: How to secure your points
The assessor’s visit often lasts only an hour. That’s just a tiny snapshot of your life. So that the assessor doesn’t get an overly “sunny” picture of your everyday routine, you should prepare yourself:
Your checklist for the visit:
- Keep a care diary: One to two weeks beforehand, write down where things get stuck in everyday life. Where did you stumble? Where did you need help getting dressed? The brain tends to forget bad moments—the diary forgets nothing.
- Prepare your “doctor folder”: Collect all current medical reports, diagnoses, and your medication plan. That saves time and documents in black and white which health burdens you have to carry.
- Bring backup (family members): Ask a trusted person (partner, child, or friend) to be there at the appointment. Four ears hear more than two, and your relatives can often describe better where you accept help in everyday life—help that you yourself may no longer even notice.
- The “honesty guarantee”: This is the most important point! Be honest with yourself and with the assessor. Many people tend to show their best side during the visit (“I can still manage that on my own!”). But: If you downplay your limitations, you won’t get any points in the end. It’s not a failure to need help—it’s your right!
Don’t imagine an appeal as a tough legal battle, but rather as a “second opinion”. It is your right to have the assessment reviewed again.
1. The clock is ticking: The 4-week deadline
As soon as the decision letter from the long-term care insurance fund lands in your mailbox, the clock starts running. You have exactly four weeks time to lodge an objection in writing.
- My tip for you: First send an informal letter by registered mail: “I hereby lodge an objection to the decision letter dated XY. The justification will follow.” This way you meet the deadline and can calmly take time for the details.
2. Take a closer look: Review the assessment report
Request the complete assessment report from the long-term care insurance fund (if it isn’t already enclosed). Go through it point by point—ideally with your care diary in hand.
- Where did the assessor tick “independent” even though you actually need help?
- Which illnesses or limitations are missing from the list?
- New documents: Now is the moment to submit up-to-date reports from your GP or specialists that may have been missing the first time around.
3. The second chance: The reassessment
Often, after an objection, the long-term care insurance fund sends a second assessor to your home. This is your chance for a “restart.” Use what you learned from the first visit, be honest from the start, and let your relatives support you again.
Life doesn’t stand still, and sometimes age or illness takes its toll faster than expected. If you notice that your Care Level 1 is no longer sufficient because everyday life has become significantly more difficult, you can apply for anupgrade at any time.
- When is it time? When you realize you don’t just need “a little help” around the house, but that daily personal care or mobility is no longer possible without assistance.
- How does it work? The process is basically the same as for the initial application. You submit an “application for an upgrade.” The Medical Service will come by again and check whether you now reach the 27 points for Care Level 2 (or more).
If you lovingly take care of a relative, you invest a lot of time, energy, and often your own money too. So the question naturally arises: “Do I get financial recognition for my help?”
Here we need to be very clear so you don’t have false expectations:
No, there is no direct care allowance with Care Level 1.
The classic care allowance, which the fund transfers to the person in need of care for them to use as they wish (and which is often passed on as a “thank you” to helping hands in the family), startsonly from Care Level 2.
But: As a relative, you won’t be left on your own!
Even if no money flows directly into your account, there is valuable support that protects your wallet and your nerves. Think of it like a “support package” that has your back:
- The relief amount (€131): This money isn’t intended for you personally, but it can take a huge load off you. You can use it to pay for an officially recognized everyday helper who, for example, does the weekly grocery shopping or cleans the apartment. That way you gain valuable time for yourself—or simply for a relaxed coffee with your relative.
- Free care courses: Knowledge is power—and gives you confidence. The long-term care funds pay for special courses where you learn techniques that protect your back, or find out how to handle difficult situations (e.g., with dementia).
- Individual care counseling: You have a legal right to free counseling. Professionals look at your situation on site and give tips on which aids can make everyday life easier for both of you.
- Regional relief services: There are often volunteer visiting services or support groups. The costs for these can be billed to the care recipient’s budget, so you can take a breath for an afternoon.
Care Grade 1 is the time for preparation. Even if there’s no money yet for your help, use the free counseling services. They are the foundation that helps you, as a caregiving relative, stay healthy and strong in the long term.
Often it’s the small things that, in old age or illness, suddenly feel like a huge mountain: cleaning the windows, lugging heavy grocery bags, or changing the bed linen. With Care Grade 1, you don’t have to conquer that mountain alone.
That’s where your relief amount of €131 comes into play. It’s like a monthly budget for your personal “assistant.”
What can you use the support for?
The amount can be used flexibly, so help is provided exactly where you need it. For example, you can use it for the following services:
- The cleaning help: Someone who wipes the bathroom, vacuums up dust, or makes the windows shine again.
- The grocery helper: A helper who carries the heavy supplies home or accompanies you to the supermarket.
- Escort services: Would you like to get to the doctor safely, visit a government office, or simply take a walk in the park again? You can book accompaniment for this.
- Support & companionship: Someone who spends time with you, reads to you, or cooks with you.
- Help with washing:This doesn’t mean personal hygiene, but your laundry—from washing to ironing and putting it away in the closet.
What about basic care (washing & showering)?
Although Care Grade 1 is primarily intended for support around the home, in theory you may also use the relief amount for help with self-care (e.g., assistance with showering provided by a care service). This is a special feature of Care Grade 1, to enable exactly the help you need.
Very important: Who is allowed to provide the help?
There’s a small but important rule here: As a rule, you cannot simply hand the cash to the friendly neighbor.
Billing is done via recognized providers.
That means: The money is used for service providers that are recognized under the respective state law. These can be care services, but also everyday helpers and caregivers arranged via a platform like noracares, or neighborhood support associations.
This question keeps popping up in the headlines and causes uncertainty. Here’s the current situation for you:
No, Care Grade 1 will remain in place.
There is currently no legal basis for abolishing it. While politicians often debate the costs in the long-term care system, Care Grade 1 is firmly anchored in law.
Why all the fuss?
The long-term care funds are under financial pressure, which is why reforms are being discussed. But social organizations push back strongly. Their argument: If small supports (like the relief amount) are cut, people slip much faster—and at greater cost—into higher care grades.
What that means for you:
- Your benefits are secure: The €131 per month and the renovation subsidies will remain available to you.
- No need to worry: You can continue to rely on your decision notice.
Use the benefits now! They are there to help you maintain your independence for as long as possible.
This question often comes up: “Does it make a difference whether I’m insured with AOK, TK, or another fund when it comes to my care grade?”
The good news for you: Your benefits under Care Grade 1 are regulated by law and are exactly the same for all long-term care funds in Germany.
No matter where you are insured: the €131 relief amount, the €42 for care aids, or the subsidy for home adaptations are always available to you in full. There’s no way around that, because these entitlements are laid down in the Social Code.
Where are the subtle differences?
Competition between health insurance funds doesn’t play out in the statutory benefits, but in the surrounding service:
- The “personal connection”: Some funds place more value on personal contacts and fast processing of your application.
- Quality of counseling: How competent and comprehensive are the care advisors? Are there additional information materials?
- Regional services: Some funds have special partnerships with local providers (e.g., for household help) or their own additional services.
Don’t worry about the amount of your benefits—it’s fixed! Instead, focus on making the best use of your fund’s service and counseling. Ask specifically about all offers that can support you in everyday life.
Theory is all well and good, but what does support look like in everyday life? These three examples show you where the journey can go:
Ms. M. (76) – The spry neighbor
Ms. M. is actually still in good shape, but her balance just isn’t what it used to be. Showering in the high bathtub becomes a shaky ordeal, and vacuuming under the sofa leaves her breathless.
- The solution: She receives Care Grade 1. But where to find trustworthy help? Through noracares, she found an everyday assistant nearby within a short time, who now supports her every two weeks. With the €131 relief amount, the help is cost-neutral for her. Thanks to counseling from noracares, she also immediately knew how to apply correctly for the €4,180 subsidy for her barrier-free shower.
Mr. K. – The supportive son
Mr. K. notices that his mother is becoming increasingly unsteady in her apartment. He doesn’t care for her in the classic sense, but he organizes everything and worries.
- The solution: He applied for Care Grade 1. To avoid getting lost in the jungle of providers, he used the noracares platform. There he not only found an officially recognized grocery helper to lug the heavy crates of drinks, but also received free care counseling at eye level. The result: Mr. K. has a clear head again and can use the time with his mother for enjoyable visits instead of just running errands.
Mr. S. – Early dementia diagnosis
Mr. S. is physically very fit, but his orientation is declining. He forgets appointments, gets lost on walks, and sometimes leaves the stove on.
- The solution: Mr. S. reaches the points required for Care Grade 1. His son arranged a specialized everyday companion through noracares, who has experience dealing with dementia. This way, memory is trained in a playful way, while the family has the reassurance that Mr. S. is in the best of hands.
What you can learn from this: Care Grade 1 is not a “dead end,” but a toolbox that opens up exactly when the first cracks in everyday life become visible.
Think of the care grades like a staircase: Care Grade 1 is the first step—a sturdy handrail that supports you so you don’t fall. From Care Grade 2 onward, the staircase gets steeper and the support more substantial, because now you no longer just need “a little help,” but real care.
The biggest leap happens exactly between Grade 1 and Grade 2. While with Grade 1 you mainly get “vouchers” for everyday life, from Grade 2 onward, real money flows into your account for the first time.
Important: Care Grade 1 is not a consolation prize, but your VIP ticket to a barrier-free life. While Care Grade 2 only kicks in when a lot of help is needed, Care Grade 1 gives you the means (over €4,000 for modifications!) to preserve your independence in the first place!
Benefits check in comparison (as of 2026)
What does that mean for you?
- Care Grade 1 is your shield: It’s perfect for you if you can’t quite manage your household entirely on your own anymore, but still have personal care (washing, getting dressed) well under control. You don’t get cash, but you do get help that preserves your independence.
- From Care Grade 2 onward, it gets serious: Here, the long-term care fund assumes you have “significant impairments.” That’s why this is where you receive care allowance (if relatives help) or benefits in kind (if a professional care service comes).
- Care Grade 3 is for severe cases: Here, the help is once again significantly more intensive, and the financial subsidies almost double compared to Grade 2.
A strong network carries better than a single rope. When household tasks become harder or worry about your parents’ well-being becomes a constant companion, it’s time for a “plus” of support. It’s not about handing off responsibilities, but about gaining breathing room for what matters: real time together.
For a life with more ease
Whether you’re looking for yourself or for someone you love:
- Everyday help: Like a helpful spirit that lends a hand wherever it’s needed— from shopping to spring cleaning. That way, home remains the place of security it has always been.
- Caregivers: Competent companions who provide a sense of safety. For seniors, that means reliability; for relatives, it’s the reassuring feeling of knowing their loved ones are in the best hands.
- Advice: An open ear for your questions. Here you’ll be supported in finding the right benefits, so uncertainty turns into a clear plan.
The role of noracares
Platforms like noracares build the bridge here. You won’t find anonymous service providers here, but real help from the local area.
noracares is like your personal compass, helping you find your way through the world of care services. As a platform for care advice and the placement of care workers, noracares offers you tailored solutions that fit your needs exactly.
Find the right care workers
Searching for the right caregiver can feel like a long, rocky road. noracares takes this burden off your shoulders by connecting you with qualified, experienced caregivers who are precisely matched to your situation and requirements. Whether you need help in everyday life or want targeted support with specific tasks, noracares makes sure you find the perfect partner.
Care advice at eye level
noracares’ care advice is like a trusted companion who guides you through the care process with practical tips and expert knowledge. Whether it’s about applying for care grade 1, assessing care needs, or using care benefits correctly—noracares helps you take every step the right way so you receive the best possible support.
Individual, needs-based care
With noracares, you not only get help finding care workers, but also support in creating an individual care plan. The platform helps you find the right care services that maintain—or even improve—your independence and quality of life in care grade 1. This keeps the path to tailored care straightforward and transparent.
Care grade 1 in Germany can be a crucial step for many to manage everyday life more easily without losing independence. Support through the relief amount, care aids and valuable advice are like little helpers that make life easier despite some limitations. Thanks to this support, you can stay active and don’t have to compromise on your quality of life. Care grade 1 ensures that you remain in control of your life—with support when you need it.
Sign up with noracares today and find the right assistance for your everyday life! Your independence matters to us—let’s find out together how we can support you!
- Assignment declaration: A document that allows you to authorize a service provider (e.g., household help) to bill the relief amount directly with the care fund. You then don’t have to pay upfront.
- ADL (Activities of Daily Living): Activities of daily living. These include washing, eating, and dressing. With care grade 1, these usually still work well, but take a lot of effort.
- DiPA (Digital care application): Apps or web applications “by prescription” that help with care (e.g., memory training or fall-risk tests). Up to €52.25 per month is available for this.
- Relief amount: A monthly budget of €131 that must be used for “services to support everyday life” (household help, everyday companions).
- Minor impairment of independence: The official definition for care grade 1. You’re not yet a “care case,” but you need help at certain times.
- Assessor (MD/Medicproof): A medical professional who visits you at home to determine your points in the NBA system.
- Home emergency call system: A technical system (usually a wristband with a button) that establishes voice contact with a control center in an emergency. The fund covers the basic rental fee.
- Consumable aids: Products such as disposable gloves or surface disinfectant, for which you can be reimbursed up to €42 per month with care grade 1.
- NBA (New assessment system): The scoring system (0 to 100 points) used since 2017 to measure the need for care.
- Neighborly help: A form of support from acquaintances (not close relatives). Depending on the federal state, the relief amount can be used for this, often after a short info course.
- In-kind care benefit: Professional help from a care service for personal hygiene. Note: This benefit is only available from care grade 2! With grade 1, you can only “reallocate” the relief amount for this.
- Measures to improve the home environment: Structural changes such as installing a stairlift or converting a bathtub into a shower. Grant: up to €4,180 per measure.
