Care Allowance in Austria (Pflegegeld) 2027: What Changes for 500,000 Recipients

Care Allowance in Austria (Pflegegeld) 2027: What Changes for 500,000 Recipients Care allowance (Pflegegeld) in Austria rises in 2027: all 7 levels indexed to inflation, 120 million euros. Current 2026 amounts, care levels and how to apply. Topics: News, Healthcare, Politics.

More than half a million people in Austria receive Pflegegeld (care allowance) — and from 2027 the payment will rise. Despite a tough austerity package, the government has secured full inflation adjustment across all seven levels of the benefit, costing the budget roughly €120 million. In this article you will learn how much is paid at each level today, what exactly changes from January 2027, and how to apply if you or a relative need care.

What changes from 2027

From January 2027 the care allowance in Austria will increase in all seven levels by the full inflation rate. As Krone reports, although the government adopted a broad budget-saving package, this particular payment was explicitly protected. The extra cost to the federal budget is about €120 million per year.

The decision was secured by Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ). The raise follows the usual mechanism: since 2020, Pflegegeld is automatically indexed every 1 January by a factor tied to the official consumer price index. The legal basis is the Federal Care Allowance Act (Bundespflegegeldgesetz).

Those who care for others every day, and those who depend on care themselves, deserve our full support. That is why I am very glad we succeeded in securing the care allowance increase for 2027.

— Korinna Schumann, Austrian Minister of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection

How much is paid in 2026 — the seven levels

In 2026 the following maximum Pflegegeld amounts apply — they are paid monthly and are tax-free. According to the official portal oesterreich.gv.at, the amount depends on the care level (Pflegestufe):

Level	Monthly amount (2026)
Level 1	€206.20
Level 2	€380.30
Level 3	€592.60
Level 4	€888.50
Level 5	€1,206.90
Level 6	€1,685.40
Level 7	€2,214.80

These are the figures the 2027 increase will be calculated from. The exact new amounts will be announced once the official inflation factor is determined — in previous years this happened towards the end of the year, with the new sums taking effect on 1 January.

Who qualifies and how to apply

Pflegegeld is paid to people whose monthly care need exceeds 65 hours. According to the rules on oesterreich.gv.at, the application is filed with the pension insurance fund (PVA) or, for recipients of small pensions, with the provincial government of your place of residence.

A doctor then visits the applicant at home on behalf of the insurer and assesses how many hours per month are realistically spent on help — washing, dressing, meals, medication, supervision. Based on this visit, one of the seven care levels is assigned. Children can receive the allowance too — separate, lower hourly thresholds apply to them.

One important detail: if the person is hospitalised, the payment is suspended from the second day when the insurer covers the costs. And if you are the one caring for a relative, it helps to know about care leave (Pflegeurlaub) — paid time off that lets you step away from work without losing income.

Why the number of recipients keeps growing

The caseload grows almost every month. In June 2026, 508,897 people received the allowance — roughly 7,700 more than a year earlier, Krone writes. The main driver is the ageing population: more elderly people means more care applications.

There is a telling detail inside the statistics: level 1 — mild care needs, when a person requires help a couple of times a week — is growing fastest. The seventh level, the most severe and the most expensive, is the only one with a noticeable drop in recipients.

Most recipients are women: 310,040 people, almost 61 %. For many families Pflegegeld is not just a top-up — it is a way to afford a helper, or to partially offset the income of a family member who quit work to look after a parent. Most recipients are pensioners, and the allowance interacts with the wider pension system: see our overview of the Austrian pension model if that is your situation.

How much will payments actually grow

The indexation mechanism is the same every year: the adjustment factor is calculated under § 108f ASVG — the same law used for pension increases. The exact value depends on average inflation over the year.

Economists’ forecasts give a rough guide: if inflation in 2026 stays around 2.5–3 %, level 1 would gain about €5–7 per month, and level 7 roughly €55–65. This is an estimate, not an official figure — the final amounts will follow the publication of the price index.

For the budget, the trend matters more: an increase of 7,700 recipients in one year means the minister will have to find money again in 2028. As Krone notes, spending will keep climbing with the statistics.

It is also worth distinguishing Pflegegeld from other benefits. Krankengeld (sick pay) is what the health insurer pays a working person during illness — read our guide to sick pay in Austria for that. And if you are worried about medical cover at all, we explain what happens without health insurance in Austria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you pay tax on Pflegegeld? No. The care allowance is fully tax-free and does not reduce other social benefits. It is also not counted as income for means-tested minimum benefits — details in our guide to minimum income in Austria.

Can you receive Pflegegeld and work? Yes. Entitlement depends only on the assessed care need, not on your income. Whether you work or not plays no role.

What if the person’s condition gets worse? File an Erhöhungsantrag — an application for a higher care level. A doctor will reassess the monthly hours. If the situation changes within six months of a rejection, you can request a new assessment sooner.

Do children get Pflegegeld? Yes, from birth. Children up to ages 3, 7, 10 and 15 have separate, lower hourly thresholds. Parents file the application on the child’s behalf.

What to do next

Here is the situation in a nutshell:

• The Pflegegeld increase from 1 January 2027 covers all 7 levels — no separate application is needed, indexation is automatic.
• Current 2026 amounts range from €206.20 to €2,214.80 per month.
• If you do not yet receive the allowance and care exceeds 65 hours per month, apply to the PVA — your payments will rise with the 2027 increase too.
• A worsening of the relative’s health is grounds to apply for a higher care level.

We will update this article as soon as the government publishes the exact 2027 amounts. To keep up with changes in Austrian social benefits, subscribe to our newsletter — we explain them in plain language, on time.