United States · https://decisionscalc.com/tools/ireland-fair-deal-calculator/
Fair Deal calculator
What your parent pays a week under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, what the HSE pays, what changes after the 3-year cap on the home, and what the Nursing Home Loan adds up to.
Your parent pays a week
| From income | €264.00 |
|---|---|
| From assets (7.5% a year) | €496.18 |
| After 3 years (home, and a capped farm, stop counting) | €333.79 |
| Nursing Home Loan after 5 years | €72,341 |
| Family pays, first 5 years | €0 |
Planning it properly? The Care Costs Planner spreadsheet runs Fair Deal week by week for 15 years and splits the family’s share among brothers and sisters.
Frequently asked questions
How much do you pay under Fair Deal?
A single person pays 80% of their assessable income and 7.5% a year of their assets above €36,000 (worked out weekly). A couple, with one partner in care, is assessed on half their combined income and assets: 40% of combined income and 3.75% of combined assets above €72,000. The HSE pays the rest of the nursing home’s agreed price.
What is the 3-year cap?
The home (principal residence) counts towards the 7.5% for the first 3 years in care only: at most 22.5% of its value in total (11.25% for a couple with one in care). After 3 years, the contribution is based on income and other assets.
What is the Nursing Home Loan?
An optional loan from the State that pays the 7.5% on land and property for you. It is repaid to Revenue from the estate: since 5 September 2026, within 18 months of death (or within 6 months if the property is sold during care), adjusted for inflation.
How much income does my parent keep?
At least 20% of their income, or 20% of the maximum State Pension (Non-Contributory) if that is more. A spouse or partner at home keeps half the couple’s income, or the maximum State Pension (Non-Contributory) if that is more. Since February 2024, rent from letting the former home is not counted.
Does the 3-year cap apply to a farm or business?
Only if you apply for it in part 6 of the Fair Deal form. The HSE must appoint a family successor (aged 18 or over: a partner or relative) who commits to run the farm or business for at least 6 years, it must have been actively worked by you, your partner or the successor for 3 of the 5 years before care, and the HSE places a charge on it. The cap runs from the day the successor is appointed, which can only happen once you are in care, and earlier payments are not refunded. Without it, the farm or business counts at 7.5% a year for as long as you are in care (HSE).
Can money given away before applying be ignored?
No: assets transferred in the 5 years before the first application are included in the assessment (HSE).
Related
Compare two scenarios
Snapshot your current numbers, change any input, then snapshot again to see the difference side by side.
No scenarios saved yet — enter your numbers above, then click Save as A.
| Metric | Scenario A | Scenario B | Difference |
|---|
Get an email when Irish rules change
Tax bands, allowances and benefit rates change every year. We email you when a rule our Irish calculators use changes, usually a few times a year. Confirm by email; unsubscribe in one click.
Was this page useful?
Thank you.