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Your home care options
compared side by side
A carer you hire yourself, an introduction agency, HSE home support and UIH each work differently. Here’s who does what with each one, so you can choose what suits your loved one.
Garda-vetted carers, employed and insured by us
Care usually starts within days, with no HSE assessment queue
We work alongside HSE home support hours
4.8/5 on Google and 5/5 on Bark
What happens next
A quote on the first call
We ring you, talk through what your loved one needs, answer your questions and give you a quote on that first call.
We build the care plan
Our care management team builds the plan with you, covering the days, the hours and what the carer will help with.
You meet your carer first
We match a Garda-vetted carer, employed and insured by us. Your family meets them online before care starts, so they are a familiar face from day one.
Four ways to arrange care at home
Each option works differently. Here’s how each one handles the employment, the cost, the checks and the cover, so you can compare like with like.
Hiring privately
You find a carer and agree everything with them yourself. It suits families who already know someone they trust.
Introduction agency
An agency finds a carer and introduces them to your family. It suits families who want help with the search.
HSE home support
Free care at home from the HSE after a needs assessment, mainly for people aged 65 and over. It’s worth applying for.
With UIH
We employ, insure and manage your carer. It suits families who want the care arranged and managed for them.
Who employs the carer
You’re the employer. You register with Revenue and run PAYE, PRSI and USC.
The agency makes the introduction. The employment side usually sits with you or the carer.
The carer works for the HSE or for a provider the HSE has approved.
We employ every carer, and each one is insured by us.
What you pay
You pay the carer’s wages, plus your costs as an employer.
You pay the carer, plus any fee the agency charges.
It’s free, whatever your income.
Your quote covers the carer’s pay, PRSI, insurance and holiday cover.
How much care
Any hours you agree with the carer.
Any hours you agree with the carer and the agency.
Hours are set after the needs assessment. Extra hours are paid for privately.
The days and hours you choose, from a few hours to live-in or 24-hour care.
Checks on the carer
You check references. Garda vetting is only done through registered organisations.
Checks vary, so ask the agency what it does.
Checks are carried out by the HSE or its approved provider.
Every carer is Garda-vetted and reference-checked before they start.
Holidays, sick days and changes
You find and pay for cover, and start again if the carer leaves.
Ask how cover and replacements work, and what they cost.
Cover and changes are managed by the HSE or the provider.
We arrange cover with a familiar backup, and replace a carer at no cost if they leave.
Planning the care
You and your family plan and manage the care.
You and your family manage the care once the carer starts.
A public health nurse or therapist assesses the need, and the HSE reviews it.
A care manager plans the care with you and your family.
How soon care starts
Care starts when you’ve found and checked someone.
Care starts when the agency has a carer free.
Care starts after the needs assessment, and timing depends on your area.
Care usually starts within days, sometimes sooner.
Introduction agencies and local HSE services can work in different ways. Whoever you speak to, ask who employs the carer, who insures them and who covers holidays and sick days. The HSE details come from hse.ie and the tax details from revenue.ie.
Many families combine HSE and private care
HSE home support and private care can work together. Private care can add the hours your family still needs on top of any HSE hours your loved one is given.
Apply for HSE home support
It’s free, whatever your income. You apply on the HSE form through your local home support office, and a healthcare professional assesses your loved one’s needs.
Add private hours as needed
Our carers work alongside HSE hours, and we quote only for the extra care your family wants. Private care has no HSE assessment queue.
Tax relief on paid care
If your loved one is totally incapacitated, you may be able to claim tax relief at your marginal rate, up to 40%, on a carer you employ or on care from a provider like us. Check the rules with Revenue.
What families say
“We moved to UIH having become concerned about our experience with another Irish care company. From the initial contact to meeting the carers it was very obvious we were dealing with a well run professional group. Yes they are more expensive, but then you pay for good service. For the last 8 months mum has had 2 very kind and happy carers fulfilling her wish to stay in her own home. Mum is being well looked after both mentally and physically and she is content. If there are any changes due to annual leave etc we are well informed in advance and the substitute carer is also excellent with an easy transition. The peace of mind of knowing that someone else manages the whole process from selection, to holiday cover, to pay, potential conflicts, is well worth paying for. Given our experience to date I would highly recommend UIH.”
M Finance, Google review
“Had to get a carer for a family member and UIH couldn't have been more helpful or friendly. Nice balance between checking on your needs vs giving you space to make the decision. Would recommend.”
Mark McLaughlin, Google review
Questions families ask
What’s the difference between an introduction agency and UIH?
An introduction agency puts you in touch with a carer, and the employment side usually sits with you or the carer. We employ every carer ourselves. We run the payroll, insure them and arrange holiday and sick cover, and a care manager plans the care with your family.
Can we use UIH and HSE home support together?
Yes. Our carers work alongside HSE home support, and we quote only for the extra care your family wants. Private care has no HSE assessment queue, so it can start while your HSE application goes through.
Is it cheaper to hire a carer ourselves?
It can be. When you hire a carer yourself, you become the employer, so registering with Revenue, payroll, insurance and finding cover all sit with you. Our quote includes all of that, so you can compare like with like.
Will we have the same carer?
Your loved one has one primary carer, with a familiar backup who covers holidays, days off and sick days.
Does a live-in carer live with us full time?
A live-in carer stays in your loved one’s home while they’re working and goes back to their own home on their days off, when the familiar backup carer takes over. 24-hour care is also available.
Can we choose the days and hours?
Yes. You choose the days and hours that suit, and your care manager plans the care around them. Care can be a few hours a day, a waking carer overnight, a live-in carer or 24-hour care.
How much does UIH cost?
Every quote is worked out from the hours, the type of care and the support your loved one needs. It covers the carer’s pay and PRSI, insurance, and holiday and sick cover. If there’s a one-time set-up cost, your quote will show it before anything starts.
A carer lives in your home and is close by, day and night.
Set hours of help with personal care, meals and appointments.
A carer who stays awake through the night, ready to help.
Short-term cover so a family carer can take a proper break.
What shapes the cost of care, what every quote includes and how to get one.
Hiring a carer yourself, an introduction agency, HSE home support or UIH, side by side.
Tell us what’s needed at home and our care team will give you a clear quote.