In hospital and need a nursing home? Start Fair Deal from the ward

Apply as soon as you can

Citizens Information advises that if a person in hospital is waiting to move to long-term care, the family should apply for Fair Deal as soon as they can. Fair Deal funding cannot be backdated. It is paid only from the date the application is approved, so every week of delay is a week the family may have to pay for.

A person who no longer needs hospital treatment but is waiting for a nursing home place can also be charged for long-term care in the hospital. Ask the ward what applies.

The care needs assessment can be done on the ward

Every application includes a care needs assessment, which decides whether long-term nursing home care is needed. The HSE says this assessment can take place in a hospital or at home. A doctor, public health nurse or occupational therapist looks at:

• everyday activities such as washing, dressing and moving around
• the health and care services the person already uses
• the support available from family and community
• the person’s own wishes and preferences

The ward’s medical social worker is usually the best first contact. They know how the assessment is arranged in that hospital.

If your parent cannot sign the form

A spouse or partner, an adult child, or a registered doctor, nurse or social worker can make the main application for someone who cannot do it themselves. The HSE calls this person a specified person.

The optional nursing home loan is different. For someone who cannot sign, the loan needs a decision-making representative appointed by the Circuit Court, or another legal authority such as a registered enduring power of attorney. That takes time, so if the family may want the loan, start early. Applying for someone who cannot sign explains each route.

Paying while you wait

Citizens Information says that in a limited number of cases the HSE may pay for care in a private nursing home while the Fair Deal application is being processed. This is called transitional care funding. It is not available in every case, so ask the medical social worker whether it could apply.

Choosing a home quickly

Homes often have waiting lists. If the home you prefer is full, the person can take a place in another approved home and later apply to transfer when a place becomes available. The contribution is the same at every approved home. Ask each home in writing about any extra charges, such as hairdressing or activities, because Fair Deal does not cover them. Find a nursing home lists every home in your county with its agreed Fair Deal price and inspection reports.

What to do this week

1. Ask the ward’s medical social worker about the care needs assessment and transitional care funding.
2. Get the application form. The current version is the HSE’s version 4.
3. Ask each bank, credit union and An Post for six months of statements. These take longest.
4. If there is a house, arrange a valuation from a licensed valuer.
5. Use our document checklist to see exactly what your family needs. It is at no charge.

The hospital does not send us any information. If you use fairdeal.ie, you come to us yourselves, and you decide what to share.

Guidance reviewed on 30 October 2026 against the sources below. fairdeal.ie is independent. The HSE decides every application.