If a resident accepted to the Fair Deal Scheme does not own property their assessment in this regard will be Nil. Nonetheless, participants in the scheme who do own property/land-based assets in the State also have access to Ancillary State Support, or the Nursing Home Loan, which is an optional feature of the Fair Deal Scheme. It is a loan advanced by the HSE to help people meet the portion of their contribution to the cost of care that is based on property/land-based assets, most typically against the personal residence. If an individual secures Ancillary State Support, they will not need to contribute against the value of the relevant property during their time on the scheme, unless the property is sold during that time.
For the purposes of determining financial contributions, couples are assessed jointly. However, the value of their assets and income that is assessed is halved: participants contribute up to 80% of their income (40% if part of a couple) and 7.5% per annum of the value of their assets (3.25% if part of a couple). The first €36,000 (€72,000 if part of a couple) is excluded from assessment. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme Act (2009) defines a couple as two persons married to each other or cohabiting - inclusive of same-sex or opposite-sex couples - for a period of 3 years or more.
