HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a disability support worker in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A disability support worker in Ireland costs €20–€38 per hour, typically around €28. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a disability support worker in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers disability support worker work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — providing companionship is a key role of disability support workers, engaging clients in conversation and activities to combat loneliness.
- How does worker's experience change the price?The rate follows the depth of experience behind it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of care required change the price?Complicated work carries more risk of having to redo a part. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does specific services provided change the price?Better grades are harder to source and dearer to buy. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Household Tasks — disability support workers often help with daily household tasks such as meal preparation, laundry, and light cleaning — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a disability support worker job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
THERE IS NO STATUTORY REGISTER OF HOME CARE PROVIDERS IN IRELAND YET, and that is the single most important thing to know before hiring one. HIQA has said plainly that home care and support services are not statutorily regulated. The Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passed both Houses of the Oireachtas in 2026 and amends the Health Act 2007 to create HIQA registration, a public register, an appeals process and transitional arrangements, and to make providing a home support service without registration an OFFENCE. It is not yet in force — the commencement date is not published and HIQA's national standards for home support are still in development. So in 2026 the checks below are the protection, not a register.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they hold an HSE Home Support Authorisation — the HSE's own scheme has service specifications, which is the nearest thing to an external standard today; Garda vetting for every individual carer, with dates; Employer's liability and public liability insurance, and whether carers are employees or contractors — it decides who is liable and who covers sickness; What happens when the regular carer is ill or on holiday, in writing; The care plan, in writing, and who reviews it and how often; References from two current families.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Garda vetting
National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012–2016 Vetting is mandatory for work with vulnerable adults and is obtained through a relevant organisation, not by a family. Ask to see the disclosure and its date for EVERY carer who will come, not just the manager.
Ask to see the garda vetting letter itself, with its date on it — not a statement that one exists.
Insurance
Expect employer's liability and public liability, plus cover for medication handling where that is part of the care. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. An individual working under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge VAT at all, and does not have a VAT number to give you.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers disability support worker work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — providing companionship is a key role of disability support workers, engaging clients in conversation and activities to combat loneliness.
A good answer: The rate follows the depth of experience behind it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Complicated work carries more risk of having to redo a part. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Better grades are harder to source and dearer to buy. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Household Tasks — disability support workers often help with daily household tasks such as meal preparation, laundry, and light cleaning — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a disability support worker job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect employer's liability and public liability, plus cover for medication handling where that is part of the care — mobility Support — support workers assist clients with mobility challenges, helping them move safely within their home and community.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the disability support worker starts, and an itemised invoice after — personal Care Assistance — disability support workers provide essential personal care, including assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Booking by the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: worker's experience — the rate follows the depth of experience behind it
- They will not talk about it: complexity of care required — complicated work carries more risk of having to redo a part
- They will not talk about it: specific services provided — better grades are harder to source and dearer to buy
- A price for the disability support worker before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the disability support worker has begun
What a disability support worker costs: €20–€38 per hour
Most disability support workers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Personal care assistant and Companionship provider each carry their own band. Disability Support Worker price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Disability support workers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstWorker's experience — the rate follows the depth of experience behind it — that is what the disability support worker is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of care required — complicated work carries more risk of having to redo a part — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfSpecific services provided — better grades are harder to source and dearer to buy — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherDuration of service — the longer the booking, the more it costs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the disability support worker is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, look for Disability Support Workers with relevant qualifications and experience in the field.
- Personal Care Assistance
- Disability support workers provide essential personal care, including assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Mobility Support
- Support workers assist clients with mobility challenges, helping them move safely within their home and community.
- Household Tasks
- Disability support workers often help with daily household tasks such as meal preparation, laundry, and light cleaning.
- Companionship Services
- Providing companionship is a key role of disability support workers, engaging clients in conversation and activities to combat loneliness.
- Companionship Provider
- Offers social interaction and emotional support, helping clients feel less isolated.
- Mobility Aide
- Assists clients with mobility challenges, including transfers and safe navigation of their environment.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a disability support worker: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the worker's experience, location, and the complexity of care required. Additional factors include the duration of service and any specialised training the worker may possess.
Sessions usually last between one to three hours, depending on the client's needs and the type of support required. Longer sessions may be necessary for more comprehensive care.
While many tasks can be handled by general support workers, specialised care may require workers with specific qualifications, especially for medical or therapeutic needs. Always assess the individual's requirements before hiring.
Disability support workers generally do not provide medical care, such as administering medications or performing medical procedures. Their role is focused on personal care and assistance with daily living activities.
THERE IS NO STATUTORY REGISTER OF HOME CARE PROVIDERS IN IRELAND YET, and that is the single most important thing to know before hiring one. HIQA has said plainly that home care and support services are not statutorily regulated. The Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passed both Houses of the Oireachtas in 2026 and amends the Health Act 2007 to create HIQA registration, a public register, an appeals process and transitional arrangements, and to make providing a home support service without registration an OFFENCE. It is not yet in force — the commencement date is not published and HIQA's national standards for home support are still in development. So in 2026 the checks below are the protection, not a register.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in care & support
Disability support workers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Department of Health — Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passes both Houses
- HIQA — evidence review on homecare and home support services
- HSE — Home Support Authorisation Scheme service specifications
- CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — NURSING AGENCY — Standard rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only