German CDU Proposal Sparks Debate Over Using Housing Assets to Fund Elderly Care
Albert Stegemann, deputy head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag, suggested that individuals with significant assets should be expected to use them before qualifying for full state-funded assistance for nursing-home expenses.
“Those who own assets must first use their own assets, including their home, before the community pays,” Stegemann told Bild.
Under Germany’s current long-term care framework, costs are shared in stages: statutory insurance covers part of the expense, while individuals contribute through pensions, savings, or other resources. Only after those resources are depleted does the state step in with social welfare support.
Stegemann’s proposal would effectively expand the scope of what is considered available private resources, including housing wealth, before access to taxpayer-funded assistance is granted.
The idea comes as policymakers prepare broader reforms to the long-term care system amid growing financial strain. Health officials have warned that the statutory care insurance scheme could face significant funding gaps in the coming years without structural changes.
The discussion reflects broader pressure on Germany’s welfare model, which has come under strain following economic stagnation linked to energy market disruptions and wider geopolitical tensions.
Although the German economy returned to growth in 2025, forecasts remain modest, with expectations of limited expansion in the following year as industrial performance continues to face headwinds.
At the same time, public spending priorities remain heavily contested, with substantial allocations directed toward military expansion and international support commitments alongside domestic social policy obligations.
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