Germany to end pension point practice for caregivers

The German federal government plans to end a legal method used by caregivers to accumulate additional pension points, a move that could potentially affect more than 100,000 people.

According to data from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (DRV), individuals who care for relatives can secure extra pension points by switching from a full pension to a partial pension. By renouncing as little as 0.01 percent of their full pension, these individuals become subject to insurance contributions again, allowing long-term care insurance funds to continue paying pension contributions.

Data from 2025 indicates that approximately 178,400 people were receiving a partial old-age pension, with roughly 101,200 of them having already reached the regular retirement age. Experts suggest a high proportion of this group consists of caregivers utilizing this mechanism. The government intends to implement restrictions on this practice by 2027.