🏥

Organizing Care in Düsseldorf

Apply for care level and find support

Progress0 of 8 steps completed

Organizing Care in Düsseldorf

Responsible authority

Pflegebüro – Care Advice Office (Department for Social Affairs and Youth)

Willi-Becker-Allee 8, 40227 Düsseldorf

The Pflegebüro is Düsseldorf's central, free and independent care-advice office, responsible city-wide. The city does not use the term 'Pflegestützpunkt' — the Pflegebüro fulfils this function as the single central point of contact.

➗ Online application: Partially🔓 Appointment: Walk-in possible
Contact form ↗

Service hours Mon-Fri 9am-2pm and by appointment.

  • •Advice is neutral, independent of commercial interests, and free of charge
  • •Statutory-insured persons may alternatively be advised by their care insurance fund; privately insured persons can contact compass private pflegeberatung GmbH
  • •Information material also available in Turkish

Official sources: Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf – Pflegebüro, Serviceportal Düsseldorf – Pflegebüro · As of 2026-08

8 Schritte · ca. 6 Minuten0%

✓ Du bist in 6 Minuten fertig

Step 1⏱ 2–5 Min

Get care counseling

Get free and independent advice – at the Düsseldorf Pflegebüro (Department for Social Affairs and Youth). Home visits are also possible.

⚠️Definitely use the counseling – it helps you get all the benefits you're entitled to!
⏰ Possible at any time💰 0 € (kostenlose Beratung)
🏛️ Lokale Behördeninfo
•Care office Düsseldorf: Willi-Becker-Allee 8, 40227 Düsseldorf
•Tel. 0211 8998998 | Email: pflegebuero@duesseldorf.de
💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Hours: Mon-Thu 9am-2pm, Fri 9am-12pm (by appointment)
  • Information material also available in Turkish
  • Advice is neutral, independent of commercial interests, and free of charge – home visits possible
Contact care office↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 2⏱ 5–10 Min

Apply for care level

🚨
Frist: As early as possible · Benefits only start from the month of application – don't wait, apply early!

Submit an informal application to your care insurance (at your health insurance). A call, email or short letter is enough: 'I apply for care insurance benefits.'

📄 Required Documents

Complete all required documents first

💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Application possible informally by phone, email or letter
  • Written is better (proof of date)
  • Many insurers offer online application
  • Requirement: At least 2 years of contributions in last 10 years
  • Care insurance must decide within 25 working days
Download sample letter↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 3⏱ 5–10 Min

Prepare MD assessment

🚨
Frist: Appointment communicated by MD · Show all limitations honestly at the appointment – don't understate out of embarrassment!

The Medical Service (MD) visits your home to assess care needs. Prepare well – document daily life and gather all documents.

📄 Required Documents

Complete all required documents first

💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Keep care diary: Document all daily assistance
  • Family members should be present at appointment
  • Show and describe all limitations honestly
  • 6 modules assessed: Mobility, behavior, self-care, etc.
  • Report is sent to care insurance
Care diary template↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 4⏱ 5–10 Min

Check decision & appeal

🚨
Frist: 1 month after decision · Deadline for appeal: 1 month! After that it becomes very difficult. Appeal costs nothing and is often worth it.

You'll receive a decision with the care level. Check carefully: Is the care level too low? Then file an appeal within 1 month! It's often worth it.

📄 Required Documents

Complete all required documents first

💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Always request MD assessment – you have a right to it!
  • File appeal in writing
  • Justification: What wasn't considered?
  • Attach care diary as proof
  • Free advice from social associations (VdK, SoVD)
  • About 30-40% of appeals are successful!
Appeal template letter↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 5⏱ 2–5 Min

Receive care benefits

After approval of a care level you receive care allowance, benefits in kind, or a combination. The amount depends on the care level.

⚠️With care allowance: Counseling visit per § 37.3 is mandatory, otherwise reduction!
⏰ After decision from care insurance💰 0 € (Leistungen werden gezahlt)
💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Care level 2: €347 care allowance / €761 benefits in kind per month
  • Care level 3: €545 care allowance / €1,298 benefits in kind
  • Care level 4: €728 care allowance / €1,612 benefits in kind
  • Care level 5: €901 care allowance / €1,995 benefits in kind
  • Combination care: Combine care allowance + care service
Benefits overview↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 6⏱ 2–5 Min

Use additional relief

Besides care allowance there are other benefits: Relief amount (€125/month), respite care, short-term care and free care aids.

⚠️€125 relief amount expires if not used – can be carried over until June of following year.
⏰ Monthly / Annually💰 0 € (Leistungen der Pflegekasse)
💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Relief amount: €131/month for daily support
  • Respite care: Up to €1,612/year when caregiver is absent
  • Short-term care: Up to €1,612/year for temporary home care
  • Care aids: €40/month for gloves, disinfection, etc.
  • Home adaptation: Up to €4,000 for modifications
View all benefits↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

Step 7⏱ 5–10 Min

Combine care & work

Caring relatives have special rights at work: Care leave, family care leave, time off. Your employer must make this possible!

⚠️Inform employer early! You have a legal right to care leave.
⏰ 10 days before start of care leave💰 0 € (ggf. Lohnersatz)

📄 Required Documents

Complete all required documents first

💡 Weitere Tipps
  • Short-term work absence: take up to 10 days immediately
  • Care Leave Act: up to 6 months leave (unpaid or partial)
  • Family care leave: up to 24 months part-time possible
  • Care support allowance: wage replacement for up to 10 days
  • Protection against dismissal during care leave!
  • Advice: Care support center or social association
Care leave info↗

Opens the official city page in a new tab

🛡️ Compare private pension ↗
Step 8⏱ 2–5 Min

🏥 Supplementary care insurance

Statutory long-term care insurance covers on average only about 50% of actual care costs. Supplementary care insurance closes the gap and prevents relatives from having to cover the costs.

⚠️Those who wait too long pay higher premiums or are rejected due to pre-existing conditions. Now is always the cheapest moment!
💡 Weitere Tipps
  • 💡 3 product types: care daily allowance, care cost insurance, care pension
  • 🏛️ State subsidy: "Pflege-Bahr" (€5/month for each contract)
  • 💰 From approx. €20-30/month good coverage
  • 📋 Self-contribution in care home 2024: approx. €2,400/month
👉 Compare care insurance free*
⏱ 2 Minuten💰 Kostenlos🔒 Unverbindlich
* Affiliate-Link: Bei Abschluss über diesen Link erhalten wir eine Provision – für dich kostenlos und unverbindlich. AmtPilot ist Tippgeber, kein Vermittler. Mehr erfahren

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have time?
Jederzeit möglich
What does it cost?
0 € (kostenlose Beratung), 0 €, 0 €, 0 €, 0 € (Leistungen werden gezahlt), 0 € (Leistungen der Pflegekasse), 0 € (ggf. Lohnersatz)
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Nutze die Beratung unbedingt – sie hilft, alle Leistungen zu bekommen, die dir zustehen!

Part of: Caring for a family member

A care situation often brings several applications at once. These usually belong to it too:

🌅
Applying for pension in DüsseldorfView checklist →
›🕯️
Death in family in DüsseldorfView checklist →
›🏠
Moving in DüsseldorfView checklist →
›💔
Divorce in DüsseldorfView checklist →
›