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How to apply for Fair Deal

Fair Deal is a scheme that offers financial support for people in long-term nursing home care. You pay part of the nursing home fees and HSE pays the balance.

You need to apply for Fair Deal.

There are 4 steps to the application process.

Complete the application form

Complete and sign the application form (PDF, 1MB, 34 pages). By doing this you are applying for a care needs assessment and financial support.

There is a list of documents you need to send with your application. These are listed on pages 11 of the form.

Send the completed form and documents to your local nursing homes support office. We will let you know when we have received your application.

Applying on behalf of someone else

If a person is unable to apply themselves, a specified person may apply on their behalf.

A specified person can be a:

  • spouse or partner
  • child of the applicant, if over 18
  • registered medical professional, nurse or social worker
  • Ward of Court (a person appointed by Office of Ward of Courts)
  • holder of a registered enduring power of attorney (chosen to act on behalf of another person)
  • decision-making representative (a person appointed by the Circuit Court )

The decision-making representative (DMR) replaces the role of care representative.

If you were previously appointed a care representative, you will not be affected by this change. You can still act on a person's behalf. You do not need to do anything.

How to become a decision-making representative (DMR)

Download the Irish version of the form

Irish: An Scéim Tacaíochta Tithe Altranais - Foirm iarratais agus eolas tacaíochta (PDF, 756KB, 44 pages)

Care needs assessment

We will contact you to arrange a care needs assessment. This will assess your need for nursing home care. It also looks at if you can be supported to continue living at home.

A public health nurse or medical professional will assess your:

  • ability to perform daily tasks such as dressing and washing
  • level of independence
  • mental abilities - levels of attention, memory, learning, and language

You will receive a decision in writing after the assessment.

What happens during the care needs assessment

Financial assessment

We will calculate how much you'll pay towards the cost of nursing home care.

The amount depends on your income (money you get on a regular basis) and assets (investments and property).

The more income and assets you have, the more you will pay towards your nursing home care.

The amount your nursing home charges does not affect the amount you will pay.

For example, if the amount you have to pay is calculated at €200 per week this will be the same whether the nursing home charges €770 per week or €1050 per week. We will pay the balance.

We will send you a letter to confirm the amount you will pay. You will receive another letter to confirm your funding approval.

Find out how we calculate how much you will pay

You can choose to apply for an optional nursing home loan

With a nursing home loan, you can use your property assets to pay for your care. A relevant person must repay the loan after your death.

You can apply for this loan if you own property in Ireland. This can be a house, land, business property or any other property in the State. You use your property to secure the loan.

The nursing home loan is optional. If you want to apply for it, you should complete this section in the Fair Deal application form.

The process of applying for a nursing home loan can sometimes take several months. It's best to apply for the loan when you apply for Fair Deal funding. You do not need to accept the nursing home loan if it is approved.

Read more about the optional nursing home loan

If you do not qualify for long-term nursing home care

If you do not qualify for long-term nursing home care, you must wait 6 months before you can apply again.

If there is a change in your health or circumstances you can apply before the 6-month waiting period ends.

A PHN or other medical professional will assess your:

  • ability to perform daily tasks such as dressing and washing
  • level of independence
  • mental ability, such as levels of attention, memory, learning, and language

We will write to you after the assessment to explain our decision.

How to become a decision-making representative (DMR)

If a person going into care cannot make decisions about their welfare, the court can appoint a decision-making representative (DMR). This is someone who can legally make decisions about the person's welfare or finances.

Some people need a DMR to make decisions for them when applying for Fair Deal.

Applying to the court to become a DMR - sageadvocacy.ie

Apply to the court (capacity application)

If you want to become a DMR for a person going into care, you must apply for a court order to appoint you. This is called a capacity application.

You can get a capacity application form through the Courts Service.

The Courts Service website has more information on:

  • how to apply
  • how much it costs

Capacity applications and DMROs - courts.ie

Decision-making representative (DMR) - decisionsupportservices.ie

Before becoming a DMR

When you are a DMR, you must follow a code of conduct.

You must keep a record of the person's finances and any financial decisions you make on their behalf. You will need to submit reports to the Decision Support Service.

What is involved in being a DMR - decisionsupportservice.ie

Filling in the application form

When you are filling in the capacity application form, you can use the wording below (A to D) in Section C of the form.

This wording will help you get:

  • appointed as DMR
  • permission to make decisions for a Fair Deal application

Some people use a lawyer to help them. It's your choice if you want to do this, but it is not always necessary.

Get appointed as DMR

When you fill in the part of the form asking if there is someone suitable to be a DMR, tell the court you want to be appointed.

Use the text from ‘A - general’ below.

A - general (any application under the Fair Deal scheme)

To apply to become a DMR, fill in the blanks below and copy the full text. Paste it into section C of the capacity application form.

An Order under Section 38(2)(b) of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, 2015, as amended, appointing _____________________ to be a decision-making representative for _______________________ (“the Relevant Person”) for the purposes of making one or more of the following decisions on behalf of the Relevant Person, in relation to his or her personal welfare or property and affairs, or both:

i) to take necessary actions in connection with obtaining of all financial information in respect of the Relevant Person from any institution, financial or otherwise, in respect of assets or liabilities of the Relevant Person.

ii) to act in relation to any matter under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act, 2009 (“the 2009 Act”) in connection with any application, review, appeal or the giving of consent under Section 7(13);

iii) to provide all relevant information and assistance to Health Service Executive in connection with any application, review or appeal made in respect of the Relevant Person under the 2009 Act;

iv) to give notice to Health Service Executive of any material change in circumstances of the Relevant Person in accordance with Section 24, 24A and 25 of the 2009 Act;

v) Liberty to Apply [1]

Get permission to make decisions for a Fair Deal application

There is a part in the capacity application form asking you what decisions you need to make.

There are 3 decisions that relate to Fair Deal.

You may need to apply for:

  • State support
  • ancilliary State support
  • the appointment of a family successor

You can ask the court to let you make 1 or more of these decisions.

Fill this section of the capacity application correctly. If the court order does not cover you to make the decisions you need, the HSE will not be able to progress your Fair Deal application.

Use the text from the sections B to D below.

B - State support

If you need to apply for State support for Fair Deal, copy the text below. Paste it into section C of the form.

vi) to make an application under Section 7 of the 2009 Act for a care needs assessment;

vii) to make an application for State support under Section 9 of the 2009 Act.

C - Ancillary State support (a nursing home loan)

If you need to apply for a nursing home loan for the purposes of Fair Deal, fill in the blanks below and copy the full text. Paste it into section C of the form.

viii) to make a request for payment of ancillary State support (“Nursing Home Loan”) under Section 16(4) of the 2009 Act.

ix) to consent to the creation of a charge under Section 17(2) of the 2009 Act charging the interest of the Relevant Person in the property known as ________________________________________________ in the city/county of _________________, (“the Property”) with a secured amount.

x) to take necessary actions in connection with:-

- the application for a Nursing Home Loan;

- the making of a charging order under Section 17(2) of the 2009 Act by Health Service Executive charging the interest the Property, with a secured amount;

- the registration of such charging order in the Land Registry or the Registry of Deeds (including the perfection of the title of the person to whom the application relates).

D - Appointment of a family successor

If you need to apply for the appointment of a family successor for a family farm or business, fill in the blanks below and copy the full text. Paste it into section C of the form.

In relation to a family asset, taking necessary actions in connection to:

xi) the appointment of a family successor or family successors, including selecting an appropriate person to act as a family successor;

xii) to make an application under Section 14A, 14G, 14H, 14K or 14L of the 2009 Act for the appointment of a family successor;

xiii) taking necessary actions in connection with an application or applications under Section 14A, 14G, 14H, 14K or 14L of the 2009 Act;

xiv) consenting to the creation by virtue of Section 14B(1) of the 209 Act of a charge in favour of Health Service Executive against the interest of the Relevant Person in the property known as ________________________________________________ in the city/county of _________________ ;

xv) the making of an order under Section 14B(1) of the 2009 Act by Health Service Executive;

xvi) the registration of an order under Section 14B(1) of the 2009 Act in the Land Registry or the Registry of Deeds (including the perfection of the title of the person to whom the application relates).

Contact us

We know the application process can be complicated.

If you need support or have a question that’s not answered here, contact us at:

Page last reviewed: 25 April 2023
Next review due: 25 April 2026

Back to Fair Deal scheme