Germany rolls out new pay, staffing and benefit reforms for care workers
On 1 May 2026 the public‑service collective agreement (TVöD) for nursing staff came into force, raising salaries by 2.8 % and adjusting allowances, grading (introducing Entgeltgruppe P 11) and allowing weekly hours up to 42 hours with optional 24‑hour shifts in rescue services.
The Pflegepersonalregelung 2.0 (PPR 2.0), effective 1 July 2024 under the Pflegepersonalbemessungsverordnung, sets a minute‑based workload system for inpatient nursing. Base values start at 33 minutes per adult patient per day (55 minutes for children) and can rise to 1 440 minutes for intensive‑care cases, guiding staff planning and triggering sanctions if staffing falls short.
Since 1 July 2025 a simplified budget merges Verhinderungspflege and Kurzzeitpflege into a single €3 539 annual allowance. The new rules extend the permissible use to eight weeks per year, differentiate hourly versus daily care, and introduce a 2026 billing deadline that limits reimbursement to the current and previous calendar year.
When a care level is downgraded from grade 3 to grade 2, the monthly Pflegegeld drops by €252 (from €599 to €347). Filing an objection within one month preserves the higher benefit while the appeal is processed.