my father has been diagnosed with dementia but my mother is very reluctant to accept this.We have been advised by a solicitor to apply to the court of protection to appoint a deputy but my mother feels like we are going behind dads back.Can we apply for power of attorney or does it have to be court of protection?There is money in joint bank accounts and one account solely in dads name we are wanting mum to put joint account money into account in her name only to protect finances should dad need to go in care home, is this allowed?Does dads pension have to be paid into his account or can it be paid into mums account?Mum has also been told she can apply for attendance allowance but she feels guilty about this and is very reluctant to apply!Feel like we are going round in circles trying to sort things out!
financial worries
- Thread starter silvertips
- Start date
Hi Silvertips. One of the best pieces of advice we were given when Mum was first diagnosed was from the mental health consultant. He said make sure your Mum has a will and you get Power of Attorney in place whilst she can still understand the implications. We did this and it was very useful when dealing with banks etc, and also decisions about Mums care and health. Sadly Mum passed away just two weeks ago, but it definitely proved to be good advice. As far as attendance allowance is concerned, I say go for it. It's not means tested and although the forms are lengthy, we managed to fill them in so I'm sure you can 
. My Mum and Dad worked all their lives and never claimed a penny - so I justified it to Mum like that. Good luck xx
. My Mum and Dad worked all their lives and never claimed a penny - so I justified it to Mum like that. Good luck xx
As long as your Dad still has capacity to understand IN THE MOMENT what an LPA does and agrees even if he forgets having signed it later, then yes, you can still do an LPA. It's much cheaper and so much less hassle and you don't need to waste good money on a solicitor either, you can fill in the forms yourself. Do it now, if the bank think your Dad has lost capacity, they might freeze the account which means your Mum would be locked out of her share too.
In a joint account, half of the money will be seen as your Dad's so if your Mum transfers it to an account in her name, even with good intentions, this will be seen as deprivation of assets that could have been used to pay for care, and the council will take a very dim view on this.
The Attendance Allowance is not for your Mum but for your Dad so will have to be applied for in his name. I don't see how your Mum has a right to object to that, it's more money for him and he is entitled to it. She might be eligible for Carers Allowance herself, and your Dad is eligible for council tax exemption due to severe mental impairment, which will mean in reality a 25% reduction on the whole annual bill as he does not live on his own (if he did he wouldn't have to pay any council tax).
Please get these things sorted ASAP. Charities like Age UK or the Alzheimer's Society can help you with the forms.
In a joint account, half of the money will be seen as your Dad's so if your Mum transfers it to an account in her name, even with good intentions, this will be seen as deprivation of assets that could have been used to pay for care, and the council will take a very dim view on this.
The Attendance Allowance is not for your Mum but for your Dad so will have to be applied for in his name. I don't see how your Mum has a right to object to that, it's more money for him and he is entitled to it. She might be eligible for Carers Allowance herself, and your Dad is eligible for council tax exemption due to severe mental impairment, which will mean in reality a 25% reduction on the whole annual bill as he does not live on his own (if he did he wouldn't have to pay any council tax).
Please get these things sorted ASAP. Charities like Age UK or the Alzheimer's Society can help you with the forms.
