Can I get the Fair Deal nursing home support?
Yes — if a care-needs assessment shows you need long-term nursing home care and you pass the financial assessment. The Fair Deal Scheme (Nursing Homes Support Scheme), run by the HSE, helps pay for approved long-term nursing home care: you pay an assessed contribution and the HSE pays the balance. You contribute 80% of your assessable income and 7.5% per year of the value of your assets (cash, savings, property). Crucially, your principal private residence is only counted for the first 3 years — the "3-year cap" — so you never pay more than 22.5% (7.5% × 3) of its value. To qualify you must be ordinarily resident in Ireland and have a care needs assessment confirming you need long-term care. In short: yes, after both assessments, with the family home protected by the 3-year cap.
📋 The rules
- Run by the HSE; you pay a contribution, HSE pays the rest
- You pay 80% of assessable income
- Plus 7.5% a year of assets
- The home is capped at 3 years (max 22.5%)
- Need a care-needs assessment + be resident
🔓 Exceptions
- A couple's means are halved (each assessed on 50%)
- First €36,000 (single) / €72,000 (couple) of assets is excluded
- The Nursing Home Loan defers the property-based contribution
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There are no "penalties" — the contribution is 80% of income plus 7.5% a year of assets, with the family home capped at 3 years (a maximum of 22.5% of its value). A couple's means are treated as halved, and the first €36,000 of assets (single) or €72,000 (couple) is excluded from the 7.5% asset contribution. The optional Nursing Home Loan (Ancillary State Support) lets you defer the portion based on your Irish property, which Revenue collects later from your estate. Beware a myth: "Fair Deal will take my whole house to pay for care" is false — the home is only assessed for 3 years (max 22.5% of value), and that property-based contribution can be deferred until after death via the Nursing Home Loan. To apply: request a care-needs assessment from the HSE and complete the financial assessment.
📎 Official sources
- Citizens Information — Fair Deal scheme →
- HSE — Fair Deal financial assessment →
- Revenue — Nursing Homes (Fair Deal) loan →
❓ Frequently asked
What is the Fair Deal scheme?
The Fair Deal Scheme, officially the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, is run by the HSE to help pay for approved long-term nursing home care. You make an assessed contribution towards the cost and the HSE pays the balance. To get it, you need a care-needs assessment confirming long-term care is required, plus a financial assessment.
How much do I have to contribute?
Your contribution is 80% of your assessable income plus 7.5% per year of the value of your assets, including cash, savings and property. For a couple, the means are assessed on a halved basis. The first €36,000 of assets for a single person, or €72,000 for a couple, is excluded from the asset contribution.
Will the scheme take my house?
No, not the whole house. Your principal private residence is only included in the assessment for the first three years, known as the three-year cap. This means the most you'll ever pay based on your home is 22.5% of its value — 7.5% a year for three years — not its full value.
What is the Nursing Home Loan?
The Nursing Home Loan, or Ancillary State Support, lets you defer the part of your contribution that's based on your Irish property. Instead of paying it during your care, the amount is collected later by Revenue from your estate. This means you don't have to sell the family home to fund care while you're alive.
How do I apply for Fair Deal?
You apply to the HSE. First, you need a care-needs assessment to confirm that you require long-term nursing home care. Then you complete a financial assessment, which works out your contribution based on your income and assets. You must also be ordinarily resident in Ireland to qualify for the scheme.
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