If you are living in accommodation that no longer suits you or that is too difficult for you to maintain, you may sell your house and move to more suitable accommodation. In certain cases, we may ignore the proceeds of the sale of your house, up to a limit of €190,500, when we assess your means.
If you are living in premises that are split into accommodation and a business, only the proceeds that relate to the accommodation are exempted.
When does the exemption apply?
The exemption only applies if you are already in receipt of Disability Allowance and you sell your home and either:
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buy other accommodation,
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rent other accommodation,
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move into a private nursing home that is registered under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990,
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move in with a person who is caring for you and is getting Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance,
or
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move to special or sheltered housing in voluntary, co-operative, statutory or private sectors.
What happens if I buy more suitable accommodation?
If you buy more suitable accommodation, the balance of the proceeds, after buying the new accommodation is exempted up to a limit of €190,500.
Example 1
If you sell your house for €320,000, and buy other accommodation for €250,000, the balance of €70,000 is not counted as means.
What happens if I move into a private nursing home?
If you sell your house and move into a private nursing home (registered under the Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990), the proceeds of the sale of your house is exempted up to a limit of €190,500.
Example 2
If you sell your home for €450,000, and move into a private nursing home, €190,500 of the €450,000 is not counted as means.