HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT

How to hire a home care assistant in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A home care assistant 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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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a home care assistant in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers home care assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is vital for emotional well-being.
  2. How does level of care required change the price?Each level up adds both material and labour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does assistant's qualifications change the price?The cheapest quote is rarely the most experienced one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does geographical location change the price?Fuel and time on the road are built into the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Medication Management — assistance with medication is a critical aspect of home care — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a home care assistant 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 →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers home care assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — companionship is vital for emotional well-being.

“How does level of care required change the price?”

A good answer: Each level up adds both material and labour. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does assistant's qualifications change the price?”

A good answer: The cheapest quote is rarely the most experienced one. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does geographical location change the price?”

A good answer: Fuel and time on the road are built into the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Medication Management — assistance with medication is a critical aspect of home care — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a home care assistant job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect employer's liability and public liability, plus cover for medication handling where that is part of the care — personal Care Assistance — home Care Assistants provide essential personal care services, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the home care assistant starts, and an itemised invoice after — household Support — assists with light housekeeping tasks like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping.

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: level of care required — each level up adds both material and labour
  • They will not talk about it: assistant's qualifications — the cheapest quote is rarely the most experienced one
  • They will not talk about it: geographical location — fuel and time on the road are built into the price
  • A price for the home care assistant 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 home care assistant has begun
LOW
€20
TYPICAL
€27
HIGH
€35

What a home care assistant costs: €20–€35 per hour

Most home care assistants 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. Home Care Assistant 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

Home care assistants 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.

  1. Look firstLevel of care required — each level up adds both material and labour — that is what the home care assistant is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneAssistant's qualifications — the cheapest quote is rarely the most experienced one — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfGeographical location — fuel and time on the road are built into the price — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherDuration of visits — the hours quoted are the hours worked, not an estimate of the job — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the home care assistant is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, home care assistants should have relevant qualifications and experience in personal care or support services.

Personal Care Assistance
Home Care Assistants provide essential personal care services, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Medication Management
Assistance with medication is a critical aspect of home care.
Companionship Services
Companionship is vital for emotional well-being.
Companionship Provider
Offers social interaction and emotional support, engaging clients in conversation and activities.
Household Support
Assists with light housekeeping tasks like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping.
Call-out
A fixed charge for turning up, separate from the work itself. On a short home care assistant job it is often most of the bill, so ask whether the first hour is inside it.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — companionship Services — companionship is vital for emotional well-being, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the home care assistant has gone.
Test what was doneMedication Management — assistance with medication is a critical aspect of home care — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. personal Care Assistance — home Care Assistants provide essential personal care services, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a home care assistant's card means something — household Support — assists with light housekeeping tasks like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a home care assistant: questions people ask

The cost of hiring a Home Care Assistant can vary based on the level of care required, the assistant's qualifications, and geographical location. Additional factors include the duration of service and any specialised needs of the client.

Visits from Home Care Assistants can vary in duration, typically ranging from one hour to several hours, depending on the client's needs. Shorter visits may focus on specific tasks, while longer visits allow for more comprehensive care.

While many tasks can be handled by general Home Care Assistants, specialised care may require qualified professionals, especially for medical needs or complex conditions. It's important to assess the specific requirements of the client.

Many Home Care agencies offer same-day or emergency services, but availability may vary. It's advisable to contact local providers in advance to discuss urgent care needs.

Yes, many Home Care providers offer packages that include multiple services, such as personal care and housekeeping. Booking multiple services can often lead to a more coordinated care plan and potential cost savings.

Home Care Assistants generally do not perform medical procedures, administer medications, or provide skilled nursing care. Their role is focused on non-medical support to enhance daily living and companionship.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in care & support

How to hire: Elderly CareHow to hire: Live-In CarerHow to hire: Personal Care AssistantHow to hire: Companion CareHow to hire: Respite CareHow to hire: Dementia CareHow to hire: Palliative CareHow to hire: Disability Support WorkerAll 701 hiring guides →

Home care assistants near you

Home care assistants in DublinHome care assistants in CorkHome care assistants in GalwayHome care assistants in LimerickAll home care assistants on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Department of Health — Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Bill 2025 passes both Houses
  2. HIQA — evidence review on homecare and home support services
  3. HSE — Home Support Authorisation Scheme service specifications
  4. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  6. Revenue — NURSING AGENCY — Standard rate
  7. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  8. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only