Equipment & funding directory

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Equipment, home adaptations, and financial supports can all help a relative stay safely at home for longer — but knowing which scheme fits which situation is half the battle. Each entry below covers what it is, why it might matter for your situation, where to apply, and roughly what it costs, sourced directly from HSE, Citizens Information, or gov.ie.

If you're not sure who to contact first for any of these,who do I call can help you work out the right starting point, andthe support services directory lists the people and organisations who can guide an application.

Household Benefits Package

What: Help with running costs at home — an electricity or gas allowance plus a free TV licence. Paid automatically to most people aged 70+, and to some people aged 66-70 or under 70 on a qualifying social welfare payment.
Why: Utility bills are a real strain for older relatives on a fixed income, and this is one of the more overlooked supports because it's not always applied for automatically outside the 70+ age group — worth checking if a relative in their late 60s is missing out.
Where: Apply online via MyWelfare.ie with a verified MyGovID account, or by post using the Household Benefits Package application form from the Department of Social Protection.
Cost: Free to those who qualify — not means-tested for people aged 70+. For those aged 66-70 not already getting a qualifying payment, a means test applies. Check current eligibility rules at the source link.
Tips: Only one person per household can claim the package, and the electricity or gas bill needs to be in that person's name — worth checking whose name is on the bill before applying.

Source: Citizens Information — Household Benefits Package

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability

What: A local authority grant to adapt a home for a family member with a disability — accessible showers, ground-floor bathrooms/toilets, stairlifts, ramps, and fixed track hoists.
Why: Adapting a bathroom or adding a stairlift can cost thousands. This grant is specifically for structural changes that let someone stay living safely at home rather than move into residential care sooner than necessary.
Where: Apply through the Housing Section of the local authority (county or city council) where the person lives. An OT report is usually needed to support the application.
Cost: Maximum grant is €40,000, means-tested — the percentage of costs covered scales down from 100% at lower household incomes to 30% for household income between €62,501 and €75,000. No grant above €75,000 gross household income. Get tax clearance from Revenue for grants over €10,000. Confirm current thresholds at the source link.
Tips: Get the OT assessment moving early — it's usually the longest step in the process. The local authority can point you to the public OT route if a private one isn't affordable.

Source: Citizens Information — Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Housing Aid for Older People Grant

What: A local authority grant for essential repairs and improvements to the homes of older people living in poor housing conditions — things like rewiring, re-roofing, heating repairs, and window/door replacement, not just accessibility work.
Why: Sometimes the thing putting a relative at risk isn't a mobility issue — it's a leaking roof, an unsafe electrical system, or a house that's cold and damp because the heating is broken. This grant is aimed at exactly that.
Where: Apply through the Housing Section of the local authority where the person lives.
Cost: Means-tested — check current maximum grant amount and income thresholds at the source link, since these are set locally and reviewed periodically.
Tips: This grant is for people aged 66 and older. If the relative is younger but has a disability, the Housing Adaptation Grant is the right one to look at instead.

Source: Citizens Information — Housing Aid for Older People Grant

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

HSE Aids and Appliances (Community Funded Schemes)

What: Equipment prescribed and provided through the HSE's Community Funded Schemes — things like walking frames, wheelchairs, hospital-style beds, commodes, and other daily-living aids, either loaned, leased, or supplied outright.
Why: A relative recovering from a fall, a hip replacement, or a general decline in mobility often needs this kind of equipment at home fast — buying it privately can run to hundreds of euro, and a lot of it is only needed short-term.
Where: Starts with an assessment, not a shop. Ask the GP for a referral to a public occupational therapist (OT) or public health nurse, or contact the local Community Healthcare Network (CHN) directly. The OT or nurse assesses need and prescribes the equipment.
Cost: Free if the person has a medical card, a Health Amendment Act Card, or is on the Long Term Illness Scheme. Without one of those, check current eligibility with the local Community Healthcare Network via hse.ie.
Tips: Don't wait for a crisis to start this — if a hospital discharge is coming up, ask the ward team to refer for an OT home assessment before the person leaves hospital, since community waiting lists can be long.

Source: HSE — Aids and Appliances, Community Funded Schemes

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Medical Card

What: A card that gives free access to GP visits, prescription medicines, and hospital care, plus free access to a wide range of HSE-prescribed aids and appliances. There are different means tests for people over and under 70.
Why: A medical card is often the gateway to other supports — free aids and appliances, cheaper prescriptions, and reduced hospital charges — so it's worth checking eligibility even if a relative assumes they earn too much to qualify.
Where: Apply online at mymedicalcard.ie, or contact the HSE National Medical Card Unit. A GP or public health nurse can advise on the process.
Cost: Free if the applicant qualifies. Eligibility is based on a means test (income, and for the over-70s test, a higher income threshold applies) — check current weekly income limits at the source link, since they're set nationally and reviewed periodically.
Tips: If a relative narrowly misses the income limit, ask about discretionary eligibility on medical/financial hardship grounds, and check the GP Visit Card as a fallback — it has a higher income limit and covers free GP visits even without covering medicines.

Source: Citizens Information — Medical Cards

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Mobility Aids Grant Scheme

What: A local authority grant for basic, lower-cost mobility work in the home — things like grab rails, a level-access shower, or a stairlift for straightforward cases. Mainly for older people, but people with disabilities can also apply.
Why: Smaller mobility problems — trouble getting in and out of the bath, or navigating steps at the front door — are exactly the kind of thing a secondary carer notices on a visit home. This grant covers the fix before it becomes a fall.
Where: Apply through the Housing Section of the local authority where the person lives.
Cost: Maximum grant €8,000 (increased from €6,000 from 1 December 2024). Available to households with income under €37,500 a year. Not available if the household lives in social housing. Confirm current limits at the source link.
Tips: If the local authority sends an older paper application form, ask specifically for the version updated after the December 2024 changes — the income limit and maximum grant both moved.

Source: Citizens Information — Mobility Aids Grant Scheme

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

None of these schemes require you to already have all the answers — a GP, public health nurse, occupational therapist, or the local authority Housing Section can point you toward the right one for your relative's situation. For a fuller list of who else can help, see where to get help.