Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

23. To ask the Minister for Health when changes will be made to the fair deal scheme to incentivise long-term nursing home patients to rent out their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17945/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Effective from 1 November 2022, the amount of rental income that nursing home residents can retain under the Fair Deal from renting their principle private residence increased from 20% to 60%.

Prior to the November 2022 changes being implemented, participants in the Fair Deal scheme were able to rent out their homes or other assets, but rental income was subject to assessment at 80% like all other income, such as pension income.

Recognising that this may act as a disincentive against renting out a property, the Government approved a policy change to the Nursing Homes Support Scheme “Fair Deal”, to remove a disincentive for applicants to the Scheme to rent out their principal residence after they have entered long term residential care. The rate of assessment for rental income from a principal residence is reduced from 80% to 40%.

The measure is currently under review and we await the outcome of the review process.

Any rental income accrued from property that is not a principal private residence will continue to be assessed at 80%.

This policy change addresses the commitments made under Housing For All Action 19.8. The change was made through a Committee-Stage amendment to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022 which is in operation as of 1 November.