Q.  What is the Fair Deal Scheme for nursing home care and how does it work?

15.11.09

The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, often referred to as the “Fair Deal”, is a new scheme of financial support for people who need long-term nursing home care. It covers all types of approved nursing homes including private, voluntary and public nursing homes. It came into operation in October 2009. If you are currently in a private nursing home you can opt to continue your current arrangement or you can apply for the Fair Deal Scheme. The arrangements for people currently in public nursing homes do not change but new applicants are assessed under the Fair Deal.

There are three steps to applying for the scheme. First of all new applicants must be assessed as needing long-term nursing home care to be eligible for State support. Those already in nursing homes when the scheme starts do not need to have this Care Needs Assessment carried out. The next step is a Financial Assessment. This looks at your income and assets, in order to work out what your contribution to your care will be. You contribute 80% of your income and 5% of the value of any assets you own each year. (If the assets include land and property the contribution based on these assets can be deferred and not paid during your lifetime. If the assets include your home or, in certain cases, a farm, the deferred contribution based on these assets is capped at 15% or three years of contributions at 5%.) The HSE will then pay the balance of your cost of care. For example, if the cost of your care is €1,000 and your weekly contribution is €300, the HSE will pay the weekly balance of €700. This payment is called State support.
The next step is choosing your nursing home. The HSE will give you a list of nursing homes. This list includes public, voluntary and approved private nursing homes. You can choose care in any nursing home on the list provided that the home can cater for your particular needs and has a place for you.

Citizens Information: Buncrana 074 9363496; Carndonagh 074 9373741

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