Older man in a suit, smiling
Tools/Later life

Fair Deal estimator.

When a parent needs nursing home care, the first question every family asks is what it will cost and what happens to the house. The Fair Deal scheme has a formula, and here it is in plain sight.

80%
of assessable income
7.5%
of assets, each year
3
years, then the home drops out
Who is being assessed

For a couple, the assessment is based on half of the combined means, and the disregard doubles. Enter the combined figures.

{{ incEur }}
€0€1,500 a week
{{ savEur }}
€0€500,000
{{ homeEur }}
€0€800,000
Estimated weekly contribution, first three years
{{ weekly }}

After year three the home drops out: about {{ after }} a week.

From income, at 80%{{ incW }} a week
From savings, 7.5% a year after the disregard{{ savW }} a week
From the home, first three years only{{ homeW }} a week
Assets disregarded{{ disregard }}

Eighty per cent of assessable income, plus 7.5% of assets a year, with the first €36,000 of assets disregarded, €72,000 for a couple. The home counts for a maximum of three years, so at most 22.5% of its value, and half that where a spouse remains living in it. Scheme rules current for 2026. An estimate for guidance; the HSE financial assessment is the formal figure.

Talk to us about care planning↗
Worth knowing

Nobody sells the house to pay for this.

The property portion can wait

The part of the contribution that comes from the home can be deferred through the Nursing Home Loan and settled from the estate later. Nobody ever pays more than the actual cost of their care.

The HSE does the formal assessment

This page applies the published formula to the figures you enter. The HSE assesses income and assets in detail, including transfers made in the five years before the application.

Three matters, one meeting

This is exactly when the will, an enduring power of attorney and the Fair Deal application should be looked at together. If there is no EPA in place yet, that comes first.

Planning care for a parent?

Bring the pension letters and a rough idea of savings and the house. One meeting covers the application, the EPA and the will.

Ring the office↗ Read the EPA guide↗