HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a domiciliary carer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A domiciliary care in Ireland costs €20–€35 per hour, typically around €27. 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.
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- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a domiciliary carer in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers domiciliary carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is a vital aspect of domiciliary care, where care workers engage clients in conversation and activities to alleviate loneliness.
- How does level of care required change the price?The specification is agreed before any work begins. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of visits change the price?The first hour costs more than the ones after it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does location change the price?Where you are decides which providers can reach you at all. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Personal Care Assistance — domiciliary care often includes assistance with daily personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a domiciliary carer 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. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
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. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
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 domiciliary carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is a vital aspect of domiciliary care, where care workers engage clients in conversation and activities to alleviate loneliness.
A good answer: The specification is agreed before any work begins. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The first hour costs more than the ones after it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Where you are decides which providers can reach you at all. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Personal Care Assistance — domiciliary care often includes assistance with daily personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a domiciliary carer 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 — household Assistance — covers light housekeeping tasks such as laundry, cleaning, and shopping.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the domiciliary carer starts, and an itemised invoice after — mobility Support — helps clients with moving around their home, including transfers to and from beds or chairs.
Getting the quote right
- Level of care required — the specification is agreed before any work begins.
- Duration of visits — the first hour costs more than the ones after it.
- Location — where you are decides which providers can reach you at all.
- Any specific needs of the client — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: level of care required — the specification is agreed before any work begins
- They will not talk about it: duration of visits — the first hour costs more than the ones after it
- They will not talk about it: location — where you are decides which providers can reach you at all
- A price for the domiciliary carer 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 domiciliary carer has begun
What a domiciliary carer costs: €20–€35 per hour
Most domiciliary carers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Personal care assistance and Meal preparation each carry their own band. Domiciliary Care 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
Domiciliary carers 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 firstLevel of care required — the specification is agreed before any work begins — that is what the domiciliary carer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneDuration of visits — the first hour costs more than the ones after it — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLocation — where you are decides which providers can reach you at all — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherAny specific needs of the client — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the domiciliary carer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, travel distance for caregivers — a visit outside the usual patch is priced higher.
- Personal Care Assistance
- Domiciliary care often includes assistance with daily personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Companionship Services
- Companionship is a vital aspect of domiciliary care, where care workers engage clients in conversation and activities to alleviate loneliness.
- Meal Preparation
- Includes planning and preparing nutritious meals according to dietary needs and preferences.
- Medication Management
- Assists clients in managing their medications, including reminders and administration.
- Mobility Support
- Helps clients with moving around their home, including transfers to and from beds or chairs.
- Household Assistance
- Covers light housekeeping tasks such as laundry, cleaning, and shopping.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a domiciliary carer: questions people ask
The cost of domiciliary care can vary based on factors such as the level of care required, the duration of visits, and the location. Additional services, such as specialised care for medical conditions, can also affect pricing.
Visits can range from a short 30-minute check-in to several hours, depending on the needs of the client. Most commonly, visits last about one hour, allowing sufficient time for personal care and companionship.
While many domiciliary care services are provided by trained care workers, certain medical tasks may require qualified specialists. It's important to assess the specific needs of the individual to determine the appropriate level of expertise.
Emergency or same-day domiciliary care services may be available, but this often depends on the agency's capacity and the urgency of the situation. It’s advisable to check with local providers for their availability.
Yes, many care agencies allow you to book multiple services, such as personal care and meal preparation, in one go. This can often provide a more comprehensive care solution and may even result in a discount.
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.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in care & support
Domiciliary carers 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