Fair Deal Application Form: How to Download, Complete, and Submit It

Where to Get the Fair Deal Application Form

The official application form for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal) is a single document published by the HSE. You can download it directly from hse.ie as a PDF, or request a printed copy from your local Nursing Homes Support Office.

The form runs to 44 pages, which can feel overwhelming. But a significant portion of those pages is supporting information and explanatory notes — the sections you actually fill in are shorter than they look. The form is divided into six numbered parts, each handling a distinct stage of the process.

What Each Part of the Form Covers

Part 1: Personal Details and Care Needs Assessment This triggers the clinical evaluation. You provide the applicant's name, PPS number, GP details, and current living situation. A HSE-appointed healthcare professional — usually a public health nurse or geriatrician — then carries out the Care Needs Assessment to confirm that long-term residential care is clinically necessary. The HSE must issue a written decision within 10 working days of the assessment.

Part 2: Financial Disclosure This is where most families spend the most time. You must declare all income sources (state pension, occupational pensions, social welfare payments, rental income, dividends) and all assets (savings accounts, investments, property). The HSE uses this to calculate how much the applicant will contribute each week toward care costs.

Part 3: Partner Assessment If the applicant has a spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant of three or more years, the assessment splits income and assets in half. This part collects the partner's financial details so the HSE can apply the couple's rates — 40% of combined assessable income and 3.75% of combined assets — rather than the single rates.

Part 4: Property Details Covers the applicant's principal private residence. If the home is to be rented out, you'll need to complete the separate PPR Rental Income Application Form and register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to claim the 100% rental income exemption from the financial assessment.

Part 5: Nursing Home Loan (Optional) If the applicant owns property and wants to defer the asset-based contribution rather than pay it weekly, this part applies for Ancillary State Support. The HSE pays that portion directly to the nursing home and registers a Charging Order against the property. All co-owners and the applicant's spouse must sign this section.

Part 6: Family Successor Appointment (Optional) Only relevant for family farms and businesses. If a family successor will continue running the farm or business for at least six years, this section applies the 3-year cap to the productive asset, limiting the total contribution to 22.5% of its value for a single applicant (11.25% per partner for a couple).

Documents You Need Before You Start

Gathering the supporting paperwork typically takes two to four weeks — and this is the stage most families underestimate. Start collecting these before you download the form:

• Six months of bank statements for every account the applicant holds (joint accounts included)
• Pension statements — State Pension (contributory or non-contributory), occupational, and any foreign pensions
• Department of Social Protection statement confirming current welfare payments
• Revenue Notice of Assessment (your most recent)
• Independent property valuation for any property owned — the HSE requires a market valuation, not a tax valuation
• RTB registration letter and tenancy agreement, if you plan to rent out the family home
• Mortgage statements, if any loan is secured against the property
• Investment statements for shares, bonds, or managed funds

If a spouse or partner is involved, you'll need the same documentation for them.

Who Can Sign the Application

The applicant can sign the form themselves if they have decision-making capacity. If they don't — and this is where many families hit a wall — informal "next-of-kin" status carries no legal authority in Ireland.

Since the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 came into full effect in April 2023, the options for someone who lacks capacity are:

• An existing Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) registered with the Decision Support Service
• A Decision-Making Representative (DMR) appointed by the Circuit Court — required if no EPA was set up before the person lost capacity

A "specified person" (typically an adult child or other close relative) can submit the application form on the applicant's behalf, but they cannot consent to a Nursing Home Loan without EPA or DMR authority.

Where to Submit the Completed Form

Post your completed form and all supporting documents to your regional Nursing Homes Support Office. The HSE maintains offices in every region — key ones include Naas (Dublin South, Wicklow, Kildare), Blanchardstown (Dublin North), and dedicated offices in Cork and Galway, while the central NHSS Deferral Office in Tullamore handles loan-deferral applications.

Processing typically takes four to six weeks once the office receives a complete application. Incomplete submissions can delay processing while the HSE requests missing information, adding weeks to the timeline — and during that delay, someone is paying full private-rate nursing home fees.

The Timing Trap Families Miss

Fair Deal funding is not backdated. The state contribution begins only from the date of formal approval, not from the date your parent entered care. If your parent is already in a nursing home while the application is being processed, the family pays the full private rate — typically €1,000 to €1,500 per week — out of pocket during that gap.

This is why gathering documents before the clinical need becomes urgent makes such a material difference. Every week you save on processing time is a week you don't pay €1,000+ in private bridging fees.

If you want a structured system for organising the paperwork, completing the financial assessment, and navigating the entire application without gaps that cause delays, the Fair Deal Filing System guide walks through every section of the form with worked examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit the Fair Deal application online? The application uses a paper form rather than an online portal: download the PDF, complete it, and send it with the required documents to your regional office. Check with the NHSO before sending any original documents, and keep a full copy of everything.

What happens if I leave a section of the form blank? The HSE may return the form or ask for the missing information. This can add weeks to processing and extend the period your family pays full private rates. Complete every relevant section before posting.

Can I apply for Fair Deal before my parent needs a nursing home? The Care Needs Assessment (Part 1) is the gateway, and it requires a clinical finding that long-term residential care is necessary. You cannot pre-apply years in advance. However, you can organise financial documents, register an EPA, and prepare the property valuation well ahead of time — these steps don't require an active application.

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