Who qualifies for supplementary benefits in Geneva in 2026?

A person receiving an AVS or AI pension, resident in Switzerland (for federal PCF) and in Geneva (for cantonal PCC), whose recognised expenses (living needs, capped rent or the nursing-home room-and-board price, insurance premiums) exceed their determining income (pension, an imputed share of wealth). Entry condition: net wealth must not exceed CHF 100,000 for a single person (CHF 200,000 for a couple). An owner-occupied home is excluded from this threshold.

What is the wealth threshold to qualify for PC?

Since the reform of 1 January 2021 (art. 9a LPC), there is no right to PC if net wealth exceeds CHF 100,000 for a single person, CHF 200,000 for a couple, plus CHF 50,000 per child. It is an all-or-nothing switch, identical across Switzerland. Importantly, the owner-occupied home (and the linked mortgage debt) is excluded from this threshold, to avoid forced sales.

Are supplementary benefits a form of welfare?

No. PC are a legal right tied to the AVS/AI pension, not social assistance. Many eligible people do not claim them for fear of the 'welfare' label — a common mistake. Claiming PC has no effect on a residence permit and is not classed as social assistance.

What is the difference between federal PC (PCF) and cantonal PC (PCC)?

PCF are governed by federal law and apply everywhere in Switzerland (condition: residence in Switzerland). PCC are cantonal top-ups specific to Geneva (condition: residence in Geneva); in Geneva they can reach up to CHF 6,827/year for a single person. Both are calculated and paid by the supplementary-benefits office (SPC).

My wealth is below the threshold — is it therefore untouchable?

No. Once the right is open, a share of wealth is counted as annual income in the PC calculation (art. 11 LPC), after a deductible (CHF 30,000 for a single person). For a nursing-home resident, Geneva imputes 1/5 of the balance per year, until wealth reaches the cantonal floor of CHF 37,500 (single person). Wealth is therefore drawn down gradually, but not indefinitely.

What is the helplessness allowance and can it be combined with PC?

The AVS helplessness allowance (allocation pour impotent) is a monthly flat amount paid by level of dependence — CHF 252 (low), CHF 630 (medium) or CHF 1,008 (severe) in 2026. It is independent of income and wealth, and can be combined with PC. The waiting period is 6 months; the low level is paid only to people living at home.

Supplementary benefits (PC) in Geneva: who qualifies in 2026?

Updated 26 Jun 20268 min readGenevaFederal

In short

In Geneva, when an elderly parent's AVS pension and wealth are no longer enough to cover their cost of living — at home or in a nursing home (EMS) — supplementary benefits (PC) close the gap. This is not welfare: it is a right tied to the AVS/AI pension, administered by the supplementary-benefits office (SPC).

The mechanism in one sentence: the SPC compares recognised expenses (living needs, capped rent or the nursing-home room-and-board price, insurance premiums) with determining income (pension, an imputed share of wealth), and pays the difference. But access is gated by a wealth threshold: CHF 100,000 for a single person (CHF 200,000 for a couple) in 2026. Above it, no right; below it, wealth is still "consumed" each year.

The four schemes (and where PC fit in)

Four schemes fund an older person's dependence in Geneva. PC are the centrepiece, but they interlock with the other three:

Scheme	Level	Income/wealth-tested?
AVS pension	Federal	— (base retirement income)
Supplementary benefits (PC)	Federal (PCF) + cantonal (PCC)	Yes — that is their whole point
Helplessness allowance	Federal (AVS)	No — flat amount by level of dependence
Health-insurance subsidy	Cantonal (Geneva)	Yes — based on the unified determining income (RDU)

Key takeaway: the helplessness allowance combines with PC and depends on neither income nor wealth — it is the help families most often overlook.

Who qualifies for PC in Geneva?

Three cumulative conditions:

Receiving an AVS or AI pension (PC are pension top-ups).
Resident in Switzerland (for federal PC, PCF) and in Geneva (for cantonal PC, PCC).
Recognised expenses exceeding determining income — and not crossing the wealth threshold (see below).

PC apply at home (covering a capped rent and living needs) and in a nursing home (where they can cover the room-and-board price up to a recognised amount). This is why, in Geneva, a majority of nursing-home residents end up receiving them: the room-and-board price regularly exceeds the AVS pension plus 2nd pillar.

The wealth threshold: the all-or-nothing switch

Since the PC reform of 1 January 2021 (art. 9a LPC), there is an entry threshold: if net wealth exceeds the cap, there is no right to PC at all — even if income is otherwise very low.

[Federal] Entry threshold: CHF 100,000 (single) · CHF 200,000 (couple) · + CHF 50,000 per child. Identical across Switzerland — Geneva does not set its own thresholds.
⚠️ The owner-occupied home is EXCLUDED from this threshold (along with the linked mortgage debt), to avoid forced sales. It is, however, taken into account later, at the calculation stage (see "is wealth untouchable?").

It is all-or-nothing: a parent with CHF 120,000 in savings has no right; the same parent at CHF 95,000 may have one. Hence the importance of assessing net wealth precisely (debts deducted) before concluding too quickly that there is no entitlement.

The 2026 figures

All amounts in CHF. Unless stated otherwise, these are the values as of 1 January 2026.

AVS pension — [Federal]

Minimum old-age pension: CHF 1,260/month (single person).
Maximum old-age pension: CHF 2,520/month (single person).
Couple ceiling: CHF 3,780/month (150% of the maximum pension).
Unchanged in 2026 (pensions are adjusted every two years; raised on 1.1.2025, they did not change on 1.1.2026).
New in 2026 — 13th AVS pension: paid for the first time in December 2026 (≈ 8.33% of the annual total). It raises annual AVS income — factor it into any budget.

PC reference amounts — [Federal] (Geneva = region 1)

Item	2025	2026
Living needs — single person	20,100/yr	20,670/yr
Living needs — couple	30,150/yr	31,005/yr
Maximum rent — 1 pers., region 1 (Geneva)	17,580/yr	18,900/yr
Heating/charges flat amount	3,060/yr	3,480/yr

Geneva is in region 1: the rent cap for a single person is CHF 18,900/year in 2026.
Wheelchair-adapted housing: + CHF 575/month on the rent cap.
⚠️ The rent caps (set in 2021) had not moved through 2025; they were raised for the first time on 1.1.2026. Always re-check on 1 January of the year.

PCC amounts (Geneva cantonal top-ups) — [Geneva]

Specific to Geneva — they do not exist as such elsewhere; per year:

up to CHF 6,827/year (single person);
up to CHF 10,952/year (single person, more than 70% disabled);
up to CHF 10,024/year (couple);
up to CHF 17,115/year (couple, more than 70% disabled).

AVS helplessness allowance (at home) — [Federal]

Low level: CHF 252/month · medium: CHF 630/month · severe: CHF 1,008/month.
Independent of income and wealth. Waiting period: 6 months. The low level is paid only to people living at home. Can be combined with PC.

⚠️ The scales are revised regularly. Always check the amounts in force on ge.ch / bsv.admin.ch before building a calculation.

Is wealth untouchable once the right is open?

No — and this is one of the most misunderstood points. Wealth plays at two distinct levels, which should not be confused:

The entry threshold (above): "do I have a right to PC?" — above CHF 100,000/200,000, no.
The imputation of wealth (art. 11 LPC): "how much PC?" — once the right is open, a share of wealth is counted as annual income in the calculation.

In practice, for the imputation: a deductible is removed first — CHF 30,000 (single) / CHF 50,000 (couple), and CHF 112,500 on the home (CHF 300,000 if the spouse lives in a nursing home) — then the remainder is imputed, on the balance:

1/10 per year for an AVS pensioner at home;
1/5 per year for a person living in a nursing home — and Geneva applies the 1/5.

Geneva, however, caps this imputation: it stops when the wealth balance reaches the cantonal floor of CHF 37,500 (single) / CHF 60,000 (couple). Below that floor, the remaining wealth is no longer "consumed".

In plain terms: wealth is drawn on before and during PC payments, but not indefinitely — a floor is protected.

How to apply in Geneva (step by step)

File the PC application with the supplementary-benefits office (SPC). The SPC calculates the difference between recognised expenses and determining income.
At home, PC cover the (capped) rent and living needs; in a nursing home, they can cover the room-and-board price up to a recognised amount.
Apply for the helplessness allowance to the AI office / compensation fund — separately, since it does not depend on income and can be combined.
Claim reimbursement of medical costs from the SPC (glasses, dental, transport, the care contribution) — on supporting documents, on top of the monthly PC.

💡 For a nursing home, open the PC file on admission: this spares the family a heavy cash advance while waiting for the decision. This is exactly the kind of step we handle as part of the Family Care & Admin Review.

Common pitfalls

Not filing an application for fear of "welfare". PC are a right, not assistance — many eligible people wrongly fail to claim.
Forgetting the helplessness allowance. It depends on neither income nor wealth; the right exists from the low level at home.
Misjudging wealth. Above the threshold (100k/200k), no PC at all; below it, wealth is still imputed each year. It is therefore never "untouchable"… but a floor is protected.
Confusing PCF (federal) and PCC (cantonal). Amounts and conditions differ; in Geneva, both are combined and paid by the SPC.
Forgetting to factor in the 13th AVS pension (from December 2026) in annual income.

Useful resources

Supplementary-benefits office (SPC) — Geneva: ge.ch — SPC
PC AVS/AI — Geneva portal: ge.ch — supplementary benefits
PC reference amounts (Geneva): ge.ch — PC reference amounts
Helplessness allowance (AVS): ahv-iv.ch — helplessness allowances
Reimbursement of medical costs by PC: ge.ch — medical-cost reimbursement PC

Sources

State of Geneva — Supplementary benefits AVS/AI (PCF/PCC, wealth thresholds 100k/200k, PCC amounts up to CHF 6,827/yr): ge.ch — supplementary benefits — accessed 2026-06-26
FSIO (BSV) — Role of wealth in the PC calculation (deductibles 30,000 / 50,000, home 112,500 / 300,000, imputation 1/10 AVS at home · up to 1/5 in a home depending on the canton): faq.bsv.admin.ch — accessed 2026-06-26
Pro Infirmis — Supplementary benefits (entry threshold art. 9a 100k/200k; owner-occupied home excluded from the threshold): proinfirmis.ch — accessed 2026-06-26
AVIVO Geneva / SPC — Supplementary benefits of the SPC (Geneva applies the 1/5 in a home/EMS; imputation capped at the deductible CHF 37,500 / 60,000): avivo.ch — accessed 2026-06-26
FSIO — PC in detail (living needs 2026: single 20,670, couple 31,005; max rent region 1 = 18,900; charges 3,480): bsv.admin.ch — PC in detail — accessed 2026-06-24
AVS/AI information centre — Old-age pensions and helplessness allowances (min. pension 1,260 / max. 2,520; helplessness low 252 / medium 630 / severe 1,008): ahv-iv.ch — memento 3.01 — accessed 2026-06-24
AVS/AI information centre — 13th AVS pension (from December 2026): ahv-iv.ch — accessed 2026-06-24