Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019
796. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health his plans to change the nursing home support scheme to ease the financial burden in place for some persons as a result of the exorbitant property prices in urban areas such as in a case (details supplied). [1637/19]
View answerThe Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS), commonly referred to as Fair Deal, is a system of financial support for people who require long-term residential care. Participants contribute to the cost of their care according to their means while the State pays the balance of the cost. As such, in the context of the question raised, there are no plans to change the nature of the Scheme in this regard. The Scheme aims to ensure that long-term nursing home care is accessible and affordable for everyone and that people are cared for in the most appropriate settings. It is worth noting that applicants to the scheme can choose any public, voluntary or approved private nursing home. However, in order for financial support to be provided, the nursing home must have an available bed and be able to cater for the applicant's care needs.
Participants in the Scheme contribute up to 80% of their assessable income, such as their pension and a maximum of 7.5% per annum of the value of assets held, such as their principal private residence or cash assets. The capital value of an individual’s principal private residence is only included in the financial assessment for the first three years of their time in care. This is known as the three year cap.
Furthermore, applicants to scheme have the option of applying for The Nursing Home Loan (Ancillary State Support). This is an additional financial support offered through the scheme, the purpose of which is to ensure that a person does not have to sell their home during their lifetime to pay for long-term nursing home care. It is a personal choice and decision for the person going into long term care under the NHSS if they want to avail of this support.
