Caregiver

Caregiver is a term from the German social security law.

Definition and meaning

The legal definition of the term caregiver is found in § 19 SGB XI. Thus, caregivers are individuals who are not professional basis, ie voluntary basis, at least a considerable need of care ( care level 1) regularly maintain in its home environment. A nursing activity is considered inactive default when the caregiver to take care of maximum activity receives the allowance of the respective level of care as remuneration.

Since only those persons caregivers are in the relevant sense here that do not maintain professional basis, caregivers are not employees. You do not need to be registered with the Social Security and do not require a work permit or any other required permits or applications for employment.

Usually it is when caregivers are family members ( spouse, children -in-law, etc.) or relatives of the patient. Frequently here is the speech of caregivers. But neighbors, friends, acquaintances or other helpers can be caregivers.

Services

Carers receive certain care insurance benefits, beyond other social security benefits and tax advantages come into consideration.

Compulsory pension insurance for carers

To promote the voluntary care and social safeguard the carers who need to care for often reduce their previous employment or even give up, the legislator has introduced the compulsory pension insurance for carers in § 3 sentence 1 No. 1a SGB VI. Is a prerequisite for entry compulsory insurance that the caregiver at least 14 hours a week and maintains that the care of long-term care benefits from the long-term care concerns. The pension obligation begins with the claim start of care to long term care.

Achieved the constructed by the medical service of health insurance in the nursing report total time spent on care, at least 14 hours per week, the care fund on its own is because of active and checks whether the other conditions for the pension obligation of the caregiver are given.

If a caregiver in addition to the maintenance activity employed or self-employed, so it is harmless to the status as a " caregiver ". However, no pension obligation occurs as a caregiver when the employment to more than 30 hours per week is exercised or if the caregiver receives a pension or pension.

The amount of such payments made by the care fund pension contributions is graded according to the levels of care and following the weekly number of hours and is determined annually. Monthly pension contributions ( in € ):

In the calculation of pensions to the pension funds reported nursing hours be considered as contribution periods and correspondingly increase the pension. The contribution periods are also used to fulfill the waiting period.

The 12-month care of a patient care level 1 increased the monthly pension to € 7.42 ( west) and € 5.77 ( East) ( as of 2011), the one-year maintenance of a heavy care ( care level III ) of more than 28 hours weekly brings € 22.26 or € 17.31 more monthly pension. To this end, in comparison, a year parenting improves the pension to € 27.47 and € 24.37.

Accident insurance

Caregivers are insured by law pursuant to § 2 para 1 No. 17 SGB VII, so that they can take appropriate benefits under the accident insurance claim if they suffer an accident in the performance of maintenance activities. This is true even if the caregivers maintain less than 14 hours a week. The insured activity includes maintenance activities in the field of personal care and - where these activities primarily benefit long-term care - nursing activities in the areas of nutrition, mobility, of domestic supply. Jurisdiction the accident insurance institutions are in the municipal sector. Contributions will be collected.

Voluntary insurance against unemployment

Since February 1, 2006 according to § 28a can SGB III caregivers who maintain at least 14 hours a week, warrant at the request of unemployment insurance. The contributions of voluntary insurance shall be borne by the caregiver themselves. The monthly contribution is 8.75 euros or 6.72 euros in the west to the east (as of 2012).

Nursing courses

Carers and other interested parties may participate in nursing courses that provide free care funds according to § 45 SGB XI.

Tax allowance

For the care of not only temporarily helpless family members and other persons, the caregiver can make a lump-sum tax-free annual amount of € 924 avail (nursing lump sum ) if it has received no revenue for the care ( § 33b para 6 ITA). This is true regardless of the care insurance benefits for the person under care.

Helpless in this sense is a person when they constantly need for a range of common and recurring chores to safeguard their personal existence in the course of each day outside help. These conditions are also satisfied if the help is needed in the form of a surveillance or guidance to the aforementioned chores or when the help though must not be made permanent, however, a constant readiness to render assistance is required.

Emergence of higher expenses, these can be made instead of the lump sum claimed as abnormal burden under § 33 Income Tax Act taking into account the reasonable load.

Care allowance

Not the caregiver, but the patient is entitled to care allowance under § 37 para 1 of the SGB XI. The cash benefit is intended to strengthen the autonomy and self-determination of the patient, which may make its Carers themselves with the money power. The allowance enables the patient, relatives and other caregivers a tangible appreciation for the great commitment and sacrifice in the home made ​​safe care to send.

The allowance is in accordance month ( in € )

The care and the care allowance can the patient on more than one person split (eg personal care provided by the spouse and the proper care for domestic care by a non-family person). The patient has these amounts and pay them to the caregiver (s). He does not have to prove in detail the use of the funds.