Compensation for cancer patients and their relatives in Switzerland
Switzerland offers a wide range of support options in the event of care. Important for cancer patients are the helplessness allowance, the intensive care supplement and, if applicable, the assistance allowance. There are other benefits for family caregivers that can be claimed depending on their situation. The following chart provides an overview.
Benefits for cancer patients
1. Helplessness allowance
A person is considered helpless if they are dependent on support for everyday basic tasks such as eating, dressing and hygiene. Depending on the course of the illness, this may be the case for cancer patients after an operation, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, for example. Exhaustion as a result of the illness or side effects can also lead to those affected needing help.
The helplessness allowance is paid regardless of assets and depends on the degree of helplessness and whether the person is cared for at home or in a nursing home. In addition, the amount paid out depends on whether the compensation is paid by disability insurance (IV), old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV), accident insurance (UV) or military insurance (MV). As cancer is not covered by UV and MV is individualized, we only list compensation from IV and AHV here.
If you receive benefits from disability insurance (IV):
| Degree of helplessness | in a home (CHF per month) | at home (CHF per month) |
| light | 126.- | 504.- |
|
medium |
315.- | 1'260.- |
| heavy | 504.- | 2'016.- |
Status: as of 01.01.2025
In the event of receipt from the old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV):
Compensation for minor degrees of helplessness does not apply if care is provided in a home. All other degrees are paid out both in the home and at home.
| Degree of helplessness | Benefit in CHF per month |
| mild | 252.- |
| medium | 630.- |
| heavy | 1008.- |
Status: as of 01.01.2025
Is the helplessness allowance also paid by the AHV in the event of cancer?
Yes, compensation is also paid by the AHV in the case of cancer from the AHV age. If you were already receiving benefits from the IV before reaching this age, the compensation will continue to be paid in at least the same amount.
When is the helplessness allowance paid out?
The allowance is paid if there is evidence of uninterrupted severe, moderate or slight helplessness for at least one year. It is therefore crucial for family caregivers that the basic care activities they provide for sick family members are documented immediately.
Depending on the cancer diagnosis and the course of the disease, it is therefore possible that, despite long periods of helplessness, an uninterrupted one-year period of helplessness may not be achieved. However, 90% of the costs of oncological care are covered by health insurance.
2. Intensive care supplement
The intensive care supplement is granted in addition to the helplessness allowance only for minor children who, for health reasons - e.g. as a result of cancer - require at least four hours more care per day than would be the case without impairment.
The intensive care supplement is also paid regardless of assets and is based on the additional care required:
| Care costs | Intensive care supplement | |
| CHF per day | CHF per month | |
| from 4 hours | 33.60 | 1'008.00 |
| from 6 hours | 58.80 | 1'764.00 |
| from 8 hours | 84.00 | 2'520.00 |
Status: as of 01.01.2025
3. Assistance contribution
The assistance contribution is only paid out by the AHV if it has already been paid out by the disability insurance. With this contribution, people who are regularly dependent on assistance and wish to live independently at home can employ an assistant. It is not possible to make direct payments to family carers. However, you have the option of hiring and being paid via a Spitex organization. You can find out everything you need to know here: Caring relatives of cancer patients
How much is the assistance contribution?
- Per hour: CHF 35.30
- Per hour if special qualifications are required for the care: CHF 52.95
- Contribution for the night service is determined individually, but amounts to a maximum of: CHF 169.10
4. Supplementary benefits to AHV and IV
As a salary is usually lost with a cancer illness, it can happen that pensions and other income are not sufficient to cover essential living costs. In this case, those affected have the right to
- annual supplementary benefits (paid monthly) and
- reimbursement of medical and disability costs
The amount of the annual supplementary benefits is calculated individually. You can use the supplementary benefits calculation tool to calculate your entitlement: To the online tool (external link).
Financial support for family carers
For many relatives, caring for their loved ones is a matter of course, which is why many of them still feel uncomfortable with the idea of taking money for this care work. However, according to estimates by the Federal Office of Public Health, this work actually saves the Confederation and cantons CHF 3.71 billion per year (as of 2020). It should therefore go without saying that this relief should not become a burden for family caregivers.
This relief is regulated by law and is divided into financial compensation, relief through leave and retirement benefits. The possibility of a social deduction from taxable income also varies from canton to canton.
1. Financial compensation
| Type of benefit | Description and legal basis |
| Care allowances |
Regulated very differently by cantons and municipalities - either as contributions to care at home or as a lump sum. 📑 Cantonal/communal legislation |
| Situational benefits and other cantonal/communal benefits |
Relatives who receive social assistance and care for loved ones can theoretically receive further situation-related benefits. In practice, however, these are hardly defined. The same applies to other cantonal/communal benefits. 📑 Social assistance (SH) / cantonal/communal legislation |
|
Compensation as an employee of an outpatient care service |
Compensation for family carers who are employed by a Spitex service is paid to the family carer by the health insurance company via Spitex. With SpitexCare, this is CHF 42 for family carers who have completed an SRC care assistant course at their own expense. CHF 38 for family carers without a care assistant diploma. We also cover the costs of the SRC care assistant course. This is a commitment for 18 months. There are alsocontributions to private social insurance (e.g. AHV, ALV, KTG, UVG, BVG). 📑 Health insurance (KV) |
2. Relief through paid leave
| Type of benefit | Description and legal basis |
| Continued payment of salary for short-term absences from work |
In order to ensure the organization of care for family members, employers are obliged to continue to pay wages during short absences from work. This right is limited to three days per event and ten days per year. 📑 Swiss Code of Obligations (OR) |
| Care allowance for parents of seriously ill children |
Parents who have to interrupt or restrict their employment in order to care for a child with a serious health condition are entitled to 14 weeks' care leave. The prerequisite for this is that the child is under 18 years of age. However, the entitlement only applies in the event of a drastic change in the physical or mental condition - a permanent disability alone does not entitle you to this leave. 📑 Income Compensation Act (EO) |
3. Compensation for pension entitlements
| Type of benefit | Description and legal basis |
| Care credits |
To ensure that unpaid care services do not lead to lower pension entitlements, loss of income is compensated by care credits. This is not an amount that is paid out, but a notional amount that is taken into account when calculating the pension entitlement. The prerequisite for this is that the person receiving care is entitled to a helplessness allowance. |
4. Tax deduction
| Type of benefit | Description and legal basis |
| Social deduction |
The amount of the tax deduction for caring for relatives is regulated very differently in the cantons. The criteria for when this can be claimed also vary greatly. Detailed information can be found in the respective tax law. |
Why is financial support for cancer patients and their relatives so important?
The financial support options for cancer patients and their relatives not only mean material relief, but also emotional relief. When financial worries are reduced, there is more room for the essentials: recovery, time together and the mental health of everyone involved.
Relatives who provide care take on an essential task for our society. Anyone who cares for a loved one makes a significant contribution - and should not run the risk of falling into financial hardship themselves. That is why it is important to make use of the help available. They are not only a support in everyday life, but also a recognition of the valuable care work that so many people do.
