Fair Deal Nursing Home

The is the Irish State system that helps people pay for long-term nursing home care. It is administered by the (HSE).

Under the scheme, the State pays a large portion of nursing-home costs, while the resident contributes based on their income and assets.

How it works

An applicant undergoes two assessments:

1. Care Needs Assessment
   The HSE determines whether the person actually requires long-term nursing home care.

2. Financial Assessment
   The person contributes to the cost of care based on their means.

Typical contribution rules

The resident usually pays:

• 80% of their weekly income
• 7.5% per year of the value of assets

The family home is included, but only for three years (the "3-year cap"). After three years, the home is no longer counted in the contribution calculation.

State support

Once the resident's contribution is calculated, the State pays the remaining balance of the approved nursing-home fee.

Optional Nursing Home Loan

If someone cannot pay the property contribution immediately, they can defer it through the Ancillary State Support loan, which is repaid later from the estate.

Key purpose

The scheme is designed to ensure that people who need nursing-home care can access it without having to sell their home during their lifetime.