Disabled Facilities Grant application for mum - question about my savings

[Marnie63]

I recently called Adult Services asking for a referral to an OT for mum. I want to investigate the possibility of them supplying something (a bath hoist?) so that mum can, at least occasionally, have a soak in water rather than the all over cloth wash we currently give her (she is not independently mobile but can weight bear and can walk with a frame with me supporting her).

I've just received a form for completion for a Disabled Facilities Grant (I didn't ask for a bathroom refurbishment, but I guess they do this as part of the assessment?). I fully understand this being means tested in relation to mum's income and savings, but right at the back of the form is a question asking to "show details of all accounts your children hold". I can't lie, so I will complete it, but what do my savings have to do with this? I am not wealthy by any means, but I do have savings, so if they include these, mum will in no way qualify. It's probably slightly irrelevant, as I only want equipment to help, not bathroom building work, but I'm slightly uncomfortable giving my own personal info - what does my financial position have to do with this? She lives with me, in my house, I've given up my work/career to care for her, have to live off £64 a week, and now they want to take all my savings into account!

 

[Jessbow]

Possibly because its you house that needs adaptions

 

[marionq]

I wouldn’t give your family details and I would tell them why in no uncertain terms. You are not asking for help - your Mum is.

 

[Beate]

I've just looked it up online and it clearly says that this grant is dependent on household income and savings so if you live with her, I'm afraid the rules are that you'll have to disclose.

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants/what-youll-get

 

[nitram]

Disabled facilities grant depends on household income and savings.

Minor adaptions authorised by OT up to the value of £1k are free with no means testing whatsoever.
Ask for an OT visit to discuss your needs.

 

[marionq]

How unfair that if is an adaptation for a child then parents income doesn’t count but for a parent it does.

I see that doesn’t apply to changes under £1000 so handrails etc would be acceptable.

 

[nitram]

I see that doesn’t apply to changes under £1000 so handrails etc would be acceptable.

As would various bath lifts (not hoists) which might ease the OP's problem.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=b...oP7aAhVLKcAKHXyxAZ4Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=637

 

[Marnie63]

What I find odd is that I only asked for an OT referral, but I suspect they do a blanket financial assessment up front before they visit, so that funding (or not!) can be part of the conversation at that time. What niggles me though is that if I HAD asked for a DFG, then I would be happy to answer the questions on the form, but I didn't. So, I'm being asked to provide private information about my financial situation for something I didn't ask for. I'll think about it over the weekend, but what I'll probably do is send it back saying I don't want any bathroom refurbishments, I just wanted advice on possible bathing aids for mum. We do have a bath chair, but I can't get her into it with her now very limited mobility. I probably need some kind of a bath hoist now. I will buy one if I need to, but I need someone to advise me on what to get!

 

[nitram]

Agreed, sit on the form for DFG and insist on an OT assessment of your mum's needs for bathing.

 

[Marnie63]

I did some digging around on line this morning and found the local LA's info leaflet on Disabled Facilities Grants. It says that if the person who the requirement is for is in receipt of Pension Credit (which mum is), then they would not have to make a contribution to any works. What it doesn't go into is how they assess based on income (currently only Carers' Pittance) and savings of others living in the home!

I have decided to complete the form and send it off. I've got nothing to hide about my savings and I'm sure the Government must be able to do checks on these things, which is probably a good thing as I guess a lot of people probably don't disclose everything!

I will report back when I have received the decision as it may be helpful to others in a similar situation.

 

[nitram]

@Marnie63

You may find there is a distinction between a facility for the sole use of the disabled person - an ensuite to her room - and one that will be used by other family members - adapted family bathroom..

 

[Marnie63]

A rather unexpected outcome to me completing the initial DFG application to the LA - letter received stating mum would have to contribution zero to any works. This in spite of me (rather grudgingly) listing my savings (which aren't huge, but I have some). I guess the fact that she is on Pension Credit may have swung it, though I'll probably never know. Now I need to get the OTs in for the assessment. I wonder if I should actually consider a refurb of a downstairs shower room into a wet room. I wonder if they allow normal flooring as I wouldn't really want that wall to wall stuff you get in hospitals. Perhaps I should use this as an opportunity to provide some kind of showing experience for mum, though I believe that if I were to sell the house within a few years of refurb, I'd have to pay something back (which I guess is fair enough).

Has anyone converted to wet room? I guess it's a major upheaval. I guess it will also be down to what the OTs recommend on visiting.

 

[Beate]

I think @Izzy might have...

 

[Izzy]

@Marnie63

I think @Izzy might have...

Yes I did.

We bought this apartment almost 2 years ago. The existing ensuite shower room was ok but the shower cubicle had a very small upstand (I think that's what it's called) all round. Even though it was small it was enough to make my husband unsure about stepping over it to get into the shower. My thinking was also that if I ever had to wheel him into the shower that would not have worked.

The apartment was a new build and the idea was to get the work done before we moved in. Naturally that didn't work! There was a delay in something being delivered and we had moved in before work started. We were lucky that we had a bathroom as well as an ensuite so we could use the loo there.

It was quite a bit of upheaval but it was worth it. It made it so much easier for my husband, me and the carers.

Sadly my husband was only in the house for 3 weeks before he became ill and died in hospital. Still for the short time he used it I think it made a big difference.

Good luck.

 

[Marnie63]

Thanks @Izzy. I'm sorry that your husband had such short use of the new bathroom set up but, as you say, anything that helps in dementia world is welcome, however short lived it may be. I doubt it makes very good sense for me to go ahead with something like this when mum is 92 and has very limited mobility, but I'll see what the OTs say when they visit. What I would really like is a bath hoist, but fear there won't be room for that in the other bathroom. I may decide to just stay with flannel washes.