HOW TO HIRE · CARE & SUPPORT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a personal care assistant in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A personal care assistant in Ireland costs €22–€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 personal care assistant in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers personal care assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — in addition to physical assistance, personal care assistants offer companionship, engaging clients in conversation and activities.
- How does level of care required change the price?Each level up adds both material and labour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does assistant's experience change the price?Training has to be paid for, and the rate reflects it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of service change the price?The longer the booking, the more it costs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Mobility Support — personal care assistants provide support with mobility, helping clients move safely around their homes or accompany them on outings — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal 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 →
A good answer: No register covers personal care assistant work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — companionship Services — in addition to physical assistance, personal care assistants offer companionship, engaging clients in conversation and activities.
A good answer: Each level up adds both material and labour. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Training has to be paid for, and the rate reflects it. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The longer the booking, the more it costs. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Mobility Support — personal care assistants provide support with mobility, helping clients move safely around their homes or accompany them on outings — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a personal care assistant 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 — medication Management — they assist with medication reminders and can help clients manage their prescriptions.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the personal care assistant starts, and an itemised invoice after — daily Living Assistance — personal care assistants help with daily activities such as 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: level of care required — each level up adds both material and labour
- They will not talk about it: assistant's experience — training has to be paid for, and the rate reflects it
- They will not talk about it: duration of service — the longer the booking, the more it costs
- A price for the personal 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 personal care assistant has begun
What a personal care assistant costs: €22–€38 per hour
Most personal care assistants quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Personal hygiene assistance and Meal preparation each carry their own band. Personal 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
Personal 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.
- Look firstLevel of care required — each level up adds both material and labour — that is what the personal care assistant is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneAssistant's experience — training has to be paid for, and the rate reflects it — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfDuration of service — the longer the booking, the more it costs — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of the tasks involved — it is part of every quote for this kind of work — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the personal care assistant is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, location — being far from the main towns narrows the choice and lifts the price.
- Daily Living Assistance
- Personal care assistants help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and grooming.
- Medication Management
- They assist with medication reminders and can help clients manage their prescriptions.
- Mobility Support
- Personal care assistants provide support with mobility, helping clients move safely around their homes or accompany them on outings.
- Companionship Services
- In addition to physical assistance, personal care assistants offer companionship, engaging clients in conversation and activities.
- Personal Hygiene Assistance
- Helping clients with bathing, grooming, and other personal hygiene tasks to promote comfort and dignity.
- Meal Preparation
- Planning and preparing nutritious meals according to the client’s dietary needs and preferences.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a personal care assistant: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the level of care required, the assistant's experience, and the duration of service. Additional factors include the complexity of care needs and geographical location.
Sessions can vary widely but often last between 1 to 4 hours. Longer sessions may be required for more comprehensive care needs, such as overnight assistance.
While many personal care assistants are trained in basic care techniques, specialised care may require professionals with specific qualifications, especially for medical tasks. Always clarify the level of care needed before hiring.
Yes, many personal care assistants can handle multiple tasks during a single visit, such as meal preparation and mobility support. Discuss your specific needs to arrange a comprehensive service.
Personal care assistants generally do not provide medical care, such as administering injections or performing medical procedures. Their role is focused on non-medical support and daily living assistance.
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
Personal care assistants 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