If the dependent person lives at home, the law provides that a person who regularly contributes to their care and assistance – at least once a week – may be engaged as a caregiver, subject to certain conditions.
The caregiver may be a close relative or friend, or another private individual engaged by the dependent person. Benefits in kind – i.e. care and assistance provided by a care and assistance network – may be replaced with a cash benefit if and only if the caregiver has been registered with and evaluated by the State Office for Assessment and Monitoring of the long-term care insurance (Administration d'évaluation et de contrôle – AEC).
Only those benefits in kind in connection with activities of daily living (ADLs) and assistance with household chores can be replaced by a cash benefit. There are 10 different categories of cash benefits, which vary depending on the amount of assistance provided by the caregiver:
Art. 354. On the basis of the summary of coverage established by the State Office for Assessment and Monitoring of the long-term care insurance (Administration d'évaluation et de contrôle – AEC), pursuant to Article 350, section 8, the benefits in kind in connection with activities of daily living (ADLs) and assistance with household chores provided by the caregiver, pursuant to Article 350, section 7, may be replaced by a cash benefit corresponding to one of the following lump-sum allowances:
Lump-sum allowance 1: EUR 12.50 a week, when the caregiver provides fewer than 61 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 2: EUR 37.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 61 and 120 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 3: EUR 62.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 121 and 180 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 4: EUR 87.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 181 and 240 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 5: EUR 112.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 241 and 300 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 6: EUR 137.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 301 and 360 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 7: EUR 162.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 361 and 420 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 8: EUR 187.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 421 and 480 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 9: EUR 212.50 a week, when the caregiver provides between 481 and 540 minutes a week
Lump-sum allowance 10: EUR 262.50 a week, when the caregiver provides 541 minutes a week or more
This replacement mechanism will cease if the AEC ascertains that the caregiver is unavailable to provide the care and assistance as specified in the summary of coverage.
The cash benefit is paid to the dependent person, who then pays the person providing the care and assistance in their capacity as a private caregiver (i.e. outside a professional network).
Coverage of home caregivers' pension contributions
On the basis of a declaration provided by the dependent person, the long-term care insurance provider may cover the caregiver's pension contributions (employer's and insured person's shares), provided certain conditions are met. The contribution is calculated on the basis of the monthly minimum social wage for an unskilled worker.
For further information, contact the Joint Social Security Centre (Centre commun de la sécurité sociale – CCSS), Tel. (+352) 40 141-1, ccss@secu.lu, www.ccss.lu.
Certain categories of individuals may be entitled to long-term care insurance and receive a lump-sum cash benefit under other conditions: