German Chancellor Merz urged to protect self‑employed care workers in pension reform

The Notmütterdienst Familien‑ und Seniorenhilfe e. V. submitted an open letter to Chancellor Friedrich Merz warning that a blanket pension‑insurance obligation for self‑employed everyday caregivers could undermine flexible care arrangements in Germany. Tens of thousands of freelancers provide child‑care, senior‑care, household assistance and emergency support, often balancing study, retirement or part‑time work. The letter urges five concrete safeguards: 1) income‑based, socially tiered contribution rates; 2) transition periods and protection for already active freelancers; 3) freedom to choose a reliable pension scheme; 4) a dedicated “care social fund” modeled on the artists’ social fund to cover health, care and pension insurance for community‑oriented care work; and 5) legal certainty instead of further status‑determination procedures. The organization, founded in 1969 and now assisting up to 800 families across multiple German cities, previously advocated for a similar care fund in April 2025. It argues that weakening flexible care would harm families, care‑dependent individuals and the broader social security system.