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CareMapIreland

Home support

HSE Home Support Service

Publicly funded help with everyday personal care at home, arranged by the HSE after an assessment of need.

Public / statutory scheme

Last reviewed: 11 September 2026Verified

The HSE Home Support Service is the main publicly funded route to help at home in Ireland. It is intended to help older people stay living in their own homes for as long as possible, and it focuses on personal care and everyday support rather than nursing or medical treatment.

You apply by returning a completed application form to your local Home Support Office. The form can be filled in by the person themselves or by someone else on their behalf, including a family member, GP, nurse or another registered healthcare professional. A completed application leads to a needs assessment, usually carried out by a public health nurse, physiotherapist or occupational therapist, and the HSE writes to the person with the outcome.

The HSE states that the older person Home Support Service is free, that a medical card is not needed to apply, and that income is not checked. If someone wants more support than the HSE offers, they pay for that extra care themselves.

Because support is arranged locally, both the level of support and how quickly a service begins can differ from place to place. Ask for the outcome in writing, and ask how to request a review if things change. Current HSE guidance says that if an application is not approved, the person can write to their local Home Support Office within 20 days of getting the decision letter to have it reviewed.

Who it's generally for

The older person service is for people aged 65 or over who need help to keep living at home or to return home after a hospital stay. The HSE says people under 65 may also qualify in some cases, for example people with early onset dementia or a disability.

What it provides

  • Help with everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed, dressing and undressing, and personal care such as showering
  • Support delivered either by HSE staff or by an HSE-approved provider
  • Support based on a needs assessment, which is reviewed if circumstances change

The eligibility and assessment caveat

Home support follows a needs assessment. Approval, the level of support and when a service starts are decided through the HSE process locally and can vary. Nothing here confirms eligibility.

What to do next

  1. Get an application form from the HSE website or your local Home Support Office, and post the completed form to that office
  2. You can apply whether the person is at home, in hospital, or in a nursing home and hoping to return home
  3. If the person is in hospital, ask the person managing the discharge plan for an application form as early as possible in the stay
  4. Write down the specific tasks the person struggles with, and at what times of day, so the assessment has concrete examples
  5. If you want more say in how support is arranged, you can ask for Consumer Directed Home Support when you apply

Documents and information worth preparing

  • The current HSE application form asks for details about the applicant, their contact details, their GP and their household — read the official form rather than relying on a checklist here
  • The person's own account of which daily tasks are difficult, and any recent falls or hospital stays
  • Names and phone numbers of family members involved
  • If someone else is applying on the person's behalf, any documents relevant to their legal authority to do so

Questions worth asking

  • Has the needs assessment been completed, and can we have a copy of the outcome letter?
  • What level of support has been approved, and how was that decided?
  • Is a service available now, and if not, what happens in the meantime?
  • Who is our named contact if the situation gets worse before the service starts?
  • How do we ask for a review if the support approved is not enough?
  • Was Consumer Directed Home Support considered, and is it an option here?

Official sources

We summarise. The organisations below are the authority on current rules, rates and thresholds.