Understanding The Rules Of Fair Deal Scheme

A detailed guideline is given at the website of Health and Security Executive (HSE)  that operates the Fair Deal Scheme, about all the rules and regulations of the scheme, whereas applicants are often met with unusual hurdles that can be really stressful for them to get by. Here is a detailed guide of the procedure that one needs to prepare themselves for,

A Step By Step Process

The application is made to the HSE, by signing up on a form, following which there are certain procedures to cover 3 basic steps. Below is a synopsis of that.

Care Needs Assessment ⸺ Once you fill in the form, and submit an agent from the HSE department will visit you personally and determine your condition and what kind of nursing home care you would need, you can either be supported at your home, with tailored set of nursing home services, or shifted to full time, residential care. The decision completely depends on your physical condition.

Financial Assessment ⸺ This is the most important assessment to the HSE, as they would be costing 80% of it as you cost of care. The HSE assesses everything you have, from cash assets like savings, shares, pension, any rental income, any social benefits or allowances and so on. But this will only be limited to the person who is applying for the scheme, it will not touch the family member’s or the applicant’s children’s finances.

Determining Cost Of Care  ⸺ The cost of care would be basically 80% of your income and 7.5% per annum on your assets like a house, farmland or normal land. This will exclude the first €36,000 for a single person and €36,000 for couple, typically, spouses.

The time-span from application to approval takes at least 6 months. And you would separately need some time to gather information and resources in your initial phase of research. So it’s not an immediate resort you can get. Family members of candidates can take a step here, as this can be a stressful way for a single pensioned person to do everything on their own. Herein, one can get in touch with an agent that can comprehensively take care of all the diligence like a family member.

The Nursing Home Loan Scheme

In case you are unable to pay the assets, like sell of part or all of your home or property, in that case you can take a Nursing Home Loan, wherein, you don't’ pay anything out of your assets during your lifetime, but the HSE pays the asset contribution from your side. This payment will be counted as a loan, and is to be collected by the Revenue Commissioners after your lifetime. This area needs a personalised assistance, as it certainly gets a lot of confusing for homeowners, for farming families to choose between Nursing  home Care, or their family businesses. Many agencies are there in Ireland that closely work towards turning the weak points of the Fair Deal Scheme into a strength, and you can discuss with them to get a viable resolution for your case.