If you are approved for the Nursing Home Loan, the HSE will pay the money to the nursing home on your behalf and it will be collected after your death. Where your assets include land and property. The payment may be deferred for a longer period, for example, if a spouse or partner or your former carer is still living in your principal private residence.
You can apply for the Loan when you first apply for Fair Deal or at any stage while resident in the nursing home.
In order to apply for the Nursing Home Loan you must provide written consent to having a Charging Order registered against your asset. If you are part of a couple, your spouse/partner must also provide written consent.
The Charging Order is a simple type of mortgage which secures the money loaned by the HSE.
After you consent, the HSE is responsible for making the Charging Order, registering it against your asset and making Nursing Home Loan payments on your behalf. You will not need to do anything.
If a person does not have the capacity to consent to the Nursing Home Loan and the Charging Order, a Care Representative will need to be appointed to act on his/her behalf.
How to apply
There is no charge to apply for Fair Deal. You can fill out the application form yourself
An application made on your behalf
If you are not able to make an application yourself because of illness, a physical disability or a mental condition, a Specified Person may apply for a Care Needs Assessment on your behalf.
For the Nursing Home Loan, only a court-appointed Care Representative can apply on behalf of someone else.
After you send in the application form
When the Care Needs and Financial Assessments have been completed, the HSE will write to you and inform you of your contribution to care, and your eligibility for State support and the Nursing Home Loan.
At this stage you will also be provided with the list of nursing homes that are participating in the scheme. This list will include public nursing homes, voluntary nursing homes and approved private nursing homes.
You may choose any nursing home from the list subject to the following conditions:
- The home must have a place for you.
- The home must be able to cater for your particular needs..
Payment by the HSE
The date of payment for the nursing home loan will be paid either from the date that the application is approved, or date of admission to the nursing home, whichever is later.
The HSE is given a set level of funding for the scheme each year and applicants may be put on a national placement list until funding becomes available. If this is the case, the HSE will notify you when it writes to advise you whether you are eligible for financial support. You will subsequently be notified by the HSE when you have been approved for financial support under the scheme.
Paying your contribution
If you select a public or voluntary nursing home, you will pay your contribution to the HSE or voluntary nursing home each week and the State will pay the balance on your behalf.
Where to apply
You can download an application form (pdf). They are also available from any health care setting in your area, including your Local Health Office and hospitals.