Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act – 2009
A FAIR DEAL

This is a broad description of the scheme not a legal interpretation. Further details available from: http://www.dohc.ie/issues/fair_deal. This includes information on the Public Information Leaflet on the Nursing Homes Support Scheme – A Fair Deal, FAQs on the Nursing Homes Support Scheme – A Fair Deal and Examples of Co-Payment under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.

The main features of the Fair Deal Nursing Home Act 2009 are as follows:

· This scheme ensures that all those who need to avail of nursing home care can do so without having to worry about the costs to themselves or their families. In the past persons having to go into a private nursing home had to finance a substantial part of the cost. In many cases family members had to contribute substantial amounts of money. In other cases the family home of an older person and/or their life savings had to be spent to provide for their needs.

The Fair Deal changes all that. Here’s how it works.

· A person’s care needs are assessed. If that person is assessed as requiring long-term residential nursing care they become eligible for the scheme.
· The maximum amount a person will have to pay for nursing home care is 80% of their income. For example if the only income a person has is the State Old Age Pension of €230.30 the maximum they pay is 80% of that i.e. €230.30.
· In the case of a person with an OPA and who owns their own home they will be liable for payments based on 5% of their value if their home subject to a maximum of 15%. This payment can be deferred during a persons lifetime and collected from their estate.
· In assessing the value of any assets the first €36,000 for a single person and €72,000 for a married couple is disregarded.


· For the family home if a partner continues to live their after the other partners death then collection of the contribution is deferred for that partners lifetime.
· In the situation of a married or co-habiting couple each person will be assessed on half their combined and assessable income and assets.
· This new scheme provides that a person’s principal private residence and farms/businesses in certain circumstances, will only be included in the financial assessment for the first 3 years of their time in care (15% year cap).
· No person will pay more than the cost of their care.

Persons currently in a public or private nursing home should:

· People who are already living in a public nursing home will continue to contribute to their care on the same basis as currently.
· If a person is already resident in a private nursing home they will continue with existing arrangement or they may avail of the new scheme.

State contribution to care:

· The State will meet the full balance of cost over and above the person’s contribution in public facilities or private facilities approved for the purpose of the scheme.
· This scheme provides for the Government’s commitment that no existing resident in long-term residential nursing home care will be made worse off as a result of the new Fair Deal Scheme.