Germany raises care move subsidy to €4,180 while warning of fraud schemes

The German consumer watchdog and the Bavarian patient‑care commissioner warned that scammers are targeting people receiving long‑term care benefits. Fraudsters pose as staff of care insurers or medical services, use phone calls to obtain personal data and sign contracts for free‑of‑charge services such as care‑aid boxes or courses, then bill the care insurance for costly, often undelivered items.

At the same time, the federal Pflegeversicherung increased the one‑off moving allowance for people with a care grade of 1 or higher from €4,000 to €4,180. The subsidy, granted without income test, can cover relocation costs when a move improves home‑care conditions, and may be multiplied for households with several care‑dependent persons. Applications are informal and must be justified to the care insurer, which decides within three weeks, sometimes after a medical service assessment.