HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire an elderly care worker in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
An elderly 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.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
TWO WAYS TO BUY THIS
Which do you need?
An individual, by the hour
You book a person for a set number of hours and they do what you ask. There is no scope and no quote: you are buying time. Best where the work is routine, you can say what you want done, and you would rather pay for two hours than for a job.
A company, for the job
You describe the job and they price it. There is a scope, a written quote, a team and somebody supervising it. Best where the work is one big push, where it needs equipment, or where you want one party answerable for the result.
What changes between them
The rate per hour against a price for the job; one person against a team; your own instructions against a written scope; and VAT, which an individual under the registration threshold does not charge at all.
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring an elderly care worker in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers elderly care worker work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is a vital aspect of elderly care, providing emotional support and reducing feelings of loneliness.
- How does level of care required change the price?A higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does caregiver's qualifications change the price?Experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does location change the price?The same job costs differently in different parts of the country. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Personal Care Assistance — elderly care often includes personal care assistance, such as help with bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a elderly care worker job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
By the hour
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.
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 →
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.
A company
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.
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 →
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.
A good answer: No register covers elderly care worker work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is a vital aspect of elderly care, providing emotional support and reducing feelings of loneliness.
A good answer: A higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The same job costs differently in different parts of the country. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Personal Care Assistance — elderly care often includes personal care assistance, such as help with bathing, dressing, and grooming — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a elderly care 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 — companion Care — provides companionship and social interaction, helping reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the elderly care worker starts, and an itemised invoice after — personal Care Assistant — assists with daily personal hygiene tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Getting the quote right, or booking by the hour
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
- Level of care required — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit.
- Caregiver's qualifications — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work.
- Location — the same job costs differently in different parts of the country.
- Duration of service — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
A company
- Level of care required — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit.
- Caregiver's qualifications — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work.
- Location — the same job costs differently in different parts of the country.
- Duration of service — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip.
- 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 — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit
- They will not talk about it: caregiver's qualifications — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work
- They will not talk about it: location — the same job costs differently in different parts of the country
- A price for the elderly care 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 elderly care worker has begun
What an elderly care worker costs: €20–€35 per hour
Most elderly care workers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Personal care assistant and Companion care each carry their own band. Elderly 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
Elderly care 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 firstLevel of care required — a higher specification costs more to buy and more to fit — that is what the elderly care worker is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneCaregiver's qualifications — experience buys you fewer mistakes as much as faster work — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLocation — the same job costs differently in different parts of the country — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherDuration of service — longer bookings let the provider finish without a second trip — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the elderly care worker is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, any special needs of the individual — a fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one.
- Personal Care Assistance
- Elderly care often includes personal care assistance, such as help with bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Companionship Services
- Companionship is a vital aspect of elderly care, providing emotional support and reducing feelings of loneliness.
- Personal Care Assistant
- Assists with daily personal hygiene tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Companion Care
- Provides companionship and social interaction, helping reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
- Call-out
- A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short elderly care worker job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.
- Scope
- Exactly what is and is not being done, written down before anyone starts. Two quotes for a elderly care worker are only comparable when they are quoting the same scope.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring an elderly care worker: questions people ask
The cost of elderly care can vary based on several factors, including the level of care required, the caregiver's qualifications, and the location. Services that involve specialised care or medical assistance typically cost more.
The duration of elderly care services can vary widely, from a few hours a week to full-time care. Many families opt for part-time assistance, which can be adjusted as the needs of the elderly person change.
While general caregivers can provide many services, specialised care may require certified professionals, particularly for medical needs or conditions like dementia. It's important to assess the specific requirements of the elderly person.
Yes, many elderly care agencies allow you to book multiple related services together, which can often lead to discounts. Combining personal care with household management or companionship services is common.
Elderly care services generally do not include medical procedures or skilled nursing tasks unless performed by a qualified healthcare professional. Additionally, heavy cleaning or extensive home repairs are usually outside the scope of standard elderly care.
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
Elderly care 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