The HSE Home Support Service is the main way Irish families get funded help keeping an older relative at home — whether that's a few hours a week for personal care or more extensive support after a hospital stay. It's free, it's not means-tested, and you don't need a medical card. This guide walks through who qualifies, how to apply, how hours are allocated, and what to do if you need more care than the HSE funds.

What the service is (and isn't)

Home Support funds a care worker to come to the person's home and help with things like:

  • Getting up, washing, dressing, going to bed
  • Help with meals and medication prompts
  • Light personal care and mobility support
  • Some household tasks directly related to care (tidying, laundry on care visits)

It is not a general housekeeping service, a social companion visit, or live-in care. For those, families either top up with private home care or arrange it themselves.

Who can apply

The service is primarily for people aged 65 or over who need support to live at home, or to return home after a hospital stay. The HSE does make exceptions for people under 65 in certain circumstances — for example, early-onset dementia or adults with a disability — but the default age is 65.

You can apply while at home, in hospital, or even in a nursing home if the plan is to return home.

Is it means-tested? What does it cost?

No. "The Home Support Service is free and is not means-tested." The HSE pays the provider directly for the approved hours; the family is not billed for HSE-funded care. If you want more hours than the HSE grants, those additional hours are paid for privately.

How to apply

Three routes, same outcome:

  • From home: download the Home Support application form from the HSE website, or ring your local Home Support Office and ask them to post one out
  • From hospital: ask the discharge coordinator or medical social worker — they'll help complete the form and forward it to the right office
  • Via your GP or public health nurse: either can initiate the application on your behalf

You can fill in the form yourself or have someone else fill it in for you — a family member, adult child, GP, or a registered nurse or social worker.

The Care Needs Assessment

Once the form is in, a public health nurse (or a member of the local Home Support team) arranges an assessment. This is usually a home visit where they talk with the applicant and, if possible, a family member, and look at:

  • Medical conditions and medications
  • How the person manages day-to-day activities (washing, dressing, meals, getting around)
  • Continence and safety at home
  • Cognitive function — memory, orientation, judgement
  • What supports are already in place from family or community services

The assessment drives the recommendation for how many hours per week are needed, spread across how many visits.

How hours are allocated

There's no public "levels" table — allocation is individual. In practice, starter allocations often run from 3 to 10 hours per week, structured as short visits (often 30–60 minutes) once or twice a day. Complex needs, end-of-life support, or hospital-discharge packages may attract more, including evening or weekend visits.

Historically, demand for HSE-funded home support has exceeded available funding in some regions, leading to waiting lists. Waiting times vary by area — ask the local office for an estimate.

Choosing a provider

Once you're approved, you choose a provider from the HSE's panel of approved home support providers for your area. The HSE pays the funding directly to the provider you pick. You arrange the schedule (visit times, preferred carer where possible) with the provider, not the HSE.

Every provider on CareFinder's home care directory is marked as HSE-approved or private — you can search approved providers by county.

Consumer Directed Home Support (CDHS)

CDHS is a more flexible version of the scheme, piloted in some HSE areas. It lets the family have more control over how the funded hours are used — for example, booking a specific carer, combining visits, or using a specialist provider. Availability is regional. Ask the Home Support Office whether CDHS is open in your area.

If the hours aren't enough

Three common next steps:

  • Top up privately. Most HSE-approved providers also offer private hours. Rates for private home care typically start around €28–€35/hour depending on the provider and the time of day.
  • Claim tax relief. Nursing home and home care costs qualify for tax relief at your marginal rate — up to 40%. Keep receipts and include them in your income tax return.
  • Consider nursing home care. If supporting someone safely at home is no longer realistic, the Fair Deal scheme covers long-term residential care. See our Fair Deal guide.

Related supports to know about

  • Carer's Allowance / Benefit — for family members providing full-time care, means-tested (allowance) or PRSI-based (benefit). Separate application through the Department of Social Protection.
  • Home Adaptation Grants — through your local authority, for stairlifts, ramps, bathroom adaptations.
  • Carer's Support Grant — an annual lump sum for full-time carers, paid in June.

What to do next

Sources: HSE — How to apply for Home Support, HSE Home Support Services, Citizens Information — Home Support Service. General information only, not medical or financial advice.