Hospital/Resthome Benefits

Despite some suggestions that resthome subsidies were likely to be removed by the new government, subsidies have only been abolished for hospital care. Resthome subsidies are asset tested, and to apply for a subsidy the level of your assets must be minimal. Assets over that level will need to be sold by you to pay for resthome care if they are not already owned by a trust.

The Department of Social Welfare also operates a policy of looking at any gifts of assets made by you in the five years prior to applying for a resthome subsidy and takes those gifts into account when calculating the level of your assets. See our section Trusts for more information on how to ensure your trust will help you qualify for a resthome subsidy.

Excluded from resthome subsidies is gifts of $5,000 per annum and pre-paid funerals.

The information on this web site is of a general nature only. Readers are advised to establish the applicability of information in relation to specific circumstances and not to rely solely on the information provided here.