New in 2021: Special coronavirus regulations will be extended, care lump sum and disability lump sum will increase.
A number of legal changes will come into force in the new year. Particularly important for working carers: the special coronavirus regulations will be extended until March 31.
At the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, the legislator created a number of relief measures for relatives of carers. The measures, which were last due to expire on December 31, have now been extended until March 31, 2021. The most important key points:
Short-term absence from work: Anyone caring for relatives due to an acute corona-related situation, for example when day care facilities are closed, can be absent from work for 20 days instead of the usual 10 days.
Care support allowance: If care is provided at home due to pandemic-related care shortages, the care allowance can also be claimed for up to 20 working days.
Connection requirement: The requirement for immediate connection between care leave and family care leave no longer applies if the employer agrees.
Notice period: The notice period for family care leave starting on March 1, 2021 at the latest is ten working days instead of the usual eight weeks.
Loans: In the case of the interest-free loan under the Family Caregiver Leave Act, months with pandemic-related income shortfalls can be excluded between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
Anyone who cares for a relative or friend at home can claim the so-called care lump sum for tax purposes. Previously, this only applied to those with a care degree of 4 or 5 or a severely disabled person's pass with the H (helpless) or Bl (blind) mark. In this case, the lump sum is increased from 924 to 1,800 euros per year.
What is new is that care levels 2 and 3 can also claim lump sums of €600 and €1,100 per year respectively.
The lump sum for the disabled is a tax relief for people with disabilities. The amount depends on the degree of disability. From January 1, 2021, the previous amounts will be doubled.
In November, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn presented a key issues paper for a care reform that is due to come into force in July 2021. Among other things, it is planned to limit the personal contribution for home care to a maximum of 700 euros. There are also plans to improve outpatient care services.