Pflegegeld 2026 in Austria: care levels, amounts and how to apply

If someone needs long-term help with everyday activities, they may receive a monthly care allowance (Pflegegeld) in Austria. The amount depends on the number of hours of care needed each month and is determined across seven care levels. This guide covers the 2026 amounts, eligibility requirements and application process.

In brief

• From 1 January 2026, Pflegegeld ranges from 206.20 euros per month (level 1) to 2,214.80 euros (level 7).
• The person must need more than 65 hours of care per month, with the need expected to last at least six months.
• You must apply for Pflegegeld; the application can be submitted without an official form.
• It is paid twelve times a year, monthly in arrears. No income tax or health insurance contributions are deducted.
• A legal action can be filed within three months against a rejection or a decision awarding a care level that is too low.

What is Pflegegeld and what is it for?

Pflegegeld is a purpose-bound benefit (zweckgebundene Leistung). It covers part of the additional costs arising from care and is therefore not considered an increase in income.

Because actual care costs usually exceed the amount awarded, Pflegegeld is a flat-rate contribution (pauschalierter Beitrag). Its purpose is to help a person who needs care remain in their familiar surroundings and at home for as long as possible, while preserving a degree of independence.

Who is eligible?

You can receive Pflegegeld if all of the following conditions apply:

• You have a permanent need for care and assistance because of a physical, intellectual, psychological or sensory disability.
• The condition is expected to last at least six months.
• Your care needs (Pflegebedarf) amount to more than 65 hours per month.
• Your usual place of residence (gewöhnlicher Aufenthalt) is in Austria. Under certain conditions, people living in the EEA and Switzerland can also receive it.

The care level is determined by the extent of the care need, not by what caused it.

What counts towards the care need?

Two types of assistance are taken into account. The first is personal care (Betreuungsmaßnahmen), such as cooking, eating, taking medication, dressing, personal hygiene, using the toilet and moving around inside the home.

The second is household-related assistance (Hilfsverrichtungen). Only these five activities count: shopping for food, medication and daily necessities; cleaning the home and personal belongings; caring for clothing and bed linen; heating the home, including obtaining fuel; and accompanying the person to places such as an authority or doctor.

In cases of severe intellectual or psychological disability, especially dementia, a surcharge (Erschwerniszuschlag) of 45 hours per month is added from the age of 15. For severely disabled children, the surcharge is 50 hours per month up to the age of 7 and 75 hours per month from then until the age of 15, if at least two independent severe functional impairments are present.

How much is Pflegegeld in 2026?

The following monthly net amounts apply from 1 January:

• Level 1: more than 65 hours of care needed per month — 206.20 euros
• Level 2: more than 95 hours — 380.30 euros
• Level 3: more than 120 hours — 592.60 euros
• Level 4: more than 160 hours — 888.50 euros
• Level 5: more than 180 hours, with extraordinary care expenditure — 1,206.90 euros
• Level 6: more than 180 hours, with care that cannot be planned during the day and night or with constant supervision — 1,685.40 euros
• Level 7: more than 180 hours, when targeted movement of all four limbs is not possible or an equivalent condition exists — 2,214.80 euros

The amounts are increased every year on 1 January using a factor determined in a similar way to pension increases.

Certain groups, such as blind people, people with severe visual impairments, deaf-blind people and some people aged at least 14 who use a wheelchair because of certain illnesses, are assigned a fixed care level. If you receive another care-related benefit, it is taken into account to avoid duplicate benefits and this reduces the amount paid.

Where do you apply?

The responsible authority depends on your situation:

• Pensioners: the insurance provider that pays the pension. For pensioners under ASVG, this is the Pensionsversicherung (PV).
• Federal and provincial civil-service pensioners: the pension service of the BVAEB.
• Employees, people insured as family members, recipients of social assistance (Mindestsicherung) and recipients of rehabilitation money: the Pensionsversicherung (PV).

If you send the application to the wrong authority by mistake, it is required to forward it to the responsible body.

How does the procedure work?

1. Application: You can apply without an official form. If you have a recent medical certificate or hospital report, it is advisable to include it.
2. Questionnaire: You will receive a form by post asking what you can no longer do independently. It is important to sign it and send it back.
3. Expert assessment (Begutachtung): A doctor or qualified nurse will visit you at home, in a nursing home or, if necessary, in hospital. The visit is announced in advance. At your request, a trusted person, such as a relative who provides care, may also be present.
4. Decision (Bescheid): You will receive a written decision stating whether Pflegegeld is granted and at which level.

Pflegegeld is paid retroactively from the month after the application was submitted. After an occupational accident or occupational illness, the accident insurance provider can also start the procedure officially.

What if you disagree with the decision?

You can file a legal action (Klage) within three months of delivery of the decision, for example at the Labour and Social Court or with the authority that issued the decision. A lawyer is not mandatory at first instance, the court expert opinion is free of charge and, as a rule, no fee is charged for submissions.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pflegegeld taxable?

No. No income tax or health insurance contributions are deducted from it.

What happens during a hospital stay or medical rehabilitation?

Payment is suspended from the second day if most of the costs are paid by a social insurance provider, the state, a provincial health fund or a patient-care institution. In certain cases, payment can continue upon application.

Can I request a higher care level if my condition deteriorates?

Yes. You can submit an increase application (Erhöhungsantrag) without an official form to the authority that determined the benefit. If less than one year has passed since the last decision, the deterioration must be supported by a medical certificate; otherwise, the application will be rejected.

Is free home advice available for carers?

Yes. The home-care quality assurance centre (Kompetenzzentrum Qualitätssicherung in der häuslichen Pflege) offers a free home visit on request. Relatives under psychological strain can also receive up to ten psychological counselling sessions.

Practical steps

1. Check whether the care need is expected to last at least six months and exceeds 65 hours per month.
2. Identify the responsible authority: Pensionsversicherung (PV), BVAEB or the relevant pension insurance provider.
3. Submit the application, with a recent medical certificate or hospital report if available.
4. Complete, sign and return the questionnaire received by post.
5. Prepare for the announced expert assessment and arrange for a trusted person to attend if needed.
6. Review the written Bescheid. If the application is rejected or the care level is too low, file a Klage within three months of delivery.

This article is based on information available online and does not constitute advice. Use of this information is at your own risk. If you need professional advice, contact a lawyer, legal professional, healthcare professional, employment-law or labour-market specialist, or another relevant professional.

Source: oesterreich.gv.at