HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a palliative carer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A palliative care in Ireland costs €25–€50 per hour, typically around €35. 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 palliative carer in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers palliative carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — coordination of Care — palliative care often involves coordinating between various healthcare providers.
- How does complexity of the patient's needs change the price?An intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does level of expertise required change the price?A licensed provider costs more than an unlicensed one, and should. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of care change the price?A short booking leaves no room for anything unexpected. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Symptom Control — palliative care teams work to manage symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and anxiety — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a palliative 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 palliative carer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — coordination of Care — palliative care often involves coordinating between various healthcare providers.
A good answer: An intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A licensed provider costs more than an unlicensed one, and should. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A short booking leaves no room for anything unexpected. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Symptom Control — palliative care teams work to manage symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and anxiety — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a palliative 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 — emotional Support — providing emotional and psychological support is a key aspect of palliative care.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the palliative carer starts, and an itemised invoice after — pain Management — palliative care focuses on alleviating pain and discomfort for patients with serious illnesses.
Getting the quote right
- Complexity of the patient's needs — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct.
- Level of expertise required — a licensed provider costs more than an unlicensed one, and should.
- Duration of care — a short booking leaves no room for anything unexpected.
- Pain Management — it is checked on the visit because it changes the method.
- 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: complexity of the patient's needs — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct
- They will not talk about it: level of expertise required — a licensed provider costs more than an unlicensed one, and should
- They will not talk about it: duration of care — a short booking leaves no room for anything unexpected
- A price for the palliative 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 palliative carer has begun
What a palliative carer costs: €25–€50 per hour
Most palliative carers quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Symptom management and Emotional support each carry their own band. Palliative 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
Palliative 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 firstComplexity of the patient's needs — an intricate finish is slower to apply and slower to correct — that is what the palliative carer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneLevel of expertise required — a licensed provider costs more than an unlicensed one, and should — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of care — a short booking leaves no room for anything unexpected — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherPain Management — it is checked on the visit because it changes the method — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the palliative carer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, palliative care professionals typically have qualifications in nursing, medicine, or social work, with additional training in palliative care.
- Pain Management
- Palliative care focuses on alleviating pain and discomfort for patients with serious illnesses.
- Emotional Support
- Providing emotional and psychological support is a key aspect of palliative care.
- Symptom Control
- Palliative care teams work to manage symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, and anxiety.
- Coordination of Care
- Palliative care often involves coordinating between various healthcare providers.
- Symptom Management
- Involves assessing and addressing physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, and fatigue to improve the patient's quality of life.
- Advance Care Planning
- Facilitates discussions about future healthcare preferences, including treatment choices and end-of-life decisions.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a palliative carer: questions people ask
The cost of palliative care can vary based on the complexity of the patient's needs, the level of expertise required, and the duration of care. Additional services, such as specialised therapies or equipment, may also impact pricing.
A typical palliative care session can last from one to several hours, depending on the patient's needs and the specific services being provided. Ongoing assessments may require more frequent visits.
While general healthcare professionals can provide palliative care, having a qualified specialist, such as a palliative care nurse or physician, is often recommended for complex cases. They are trained to manage specific symptoms and coordinate comprehensive care.
Emergency or same-day palliative care services may be available, but this largely depends on the provider's capacity and the urgency of the situation. It's advisable to contact local services directly for immediate needs.
Yes, many palliative care providers offer the option to book multiple related services, such as pain management and emotional support, during the same visit. This can enhance the overall care experience for the patient.
Palliative care primarily focuses on comfort and quality of life, so curative treatments and procedures aimed at curing the illness are generally out of scope. Additionally, palliative care does not typically cover routine medical check-ups or emergency medical interventions.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in care & support
Palliative 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