Some 10,000 pensioners have taken legal advice about changing their wills in order to avoid extra nursing home fees, the AD reports on Friday.

Notaries report hundreds of inquiries from older people who are transferring their assets to their children before their deaths to head off the wealth-dependent top-up fees for residential home care.

The top-up fees can mount up to €24,000 a year. Pensioners are angry that their savings are going to the government rather than their children, the AD says.

Assets

Since the beginning of this year, people living in nursing and residential homes have to pay higher fees for the cost of their treatment if they have more than €21,000 in assets.

In addition, disabled people who own their home also have to pay higher fees, even if they are unable to sell the property to realise the extra cash.

The asset check was introduced in an effort to cap the rising cost of institutional care.