The National Homes Swindle

Tressa

Registered User
May 18, 2004
31
0
N. Ireland
Hi all, I had put this on another thread but am afraid of it not being seen so have posted on to this thread, hope thats ok.

I watched and taped this programme last night but was already aware of this situation as I have already been told by our Trust that my mums half of the house will have to go to paying her care home fees. My mum isn't in a home yet but her Care Manager in my opinion is trying to force me to put her in a home. We jointly own the house and I am want the money to be used to benefit my mum, after all it is hers but not if the Trust should be paying her home fees when the time comes. I was left with a helpless feeling after the programme as it only highlighted the problem but never give any indication of where you go to for help, or will it be the case that we all know the government is swindling people but there is nothing can be done??

I feel that my mum and I have been let down by the system. When my mum was diagnosed neither her Care Manager, consultant or anybody told me about Powers of Attorney or Wills or Guardianship or the possiblility of losing our home to pay for care home fees. Yes maybe I should have checked these things out but I was in shock for a good few many years at the fact that I was losing my mum to AD. I just never thought all these things could happen. And now I am in a situation were I am battling to keep my mum at home as long as possible but the Care Manager is threatening to put mum in home even when she is not ready for it. And it feels as if my mum has no human rights as a person and that these people can come in and take your mum and your home and nothing can be done about it.

Sorry for the rant, but this programme just highlighted the despair that I and many must go through.

Has anyone else come across a similar situation where they were never informed of important legal matters?
 

ludwig

Registered User
Feb 8, 2006
28
0
Dear All,
I watched the prog last night.
Not only were we told verbally that we'd have to pay for care for my mum when she was diagnosed with dementia, I wasn't even aware that NHS care was possible but highly contentious. We just accepted the situation. I manage her finances and about 40% of her savings are already gone, I was looking into contingency plans for selling stuff (eg her few shares etc) before we sold her house as the last resort.
To top it all we even pay VAT on the ?@&*@: care package! The b?@:*&%s!! I brought this to the attention of mums MP (I think VAT on this is a scandal) and he neatly sidestepped the issue enclosing a letter from the paymaster general that the VAT was OK under EEC rules.
I have downloaded a load of stuff from this website with a view to taking the issue up. There's a lot to digest and understand but I shall be having a go.
Keep smiling and I'll let you know how I get on.
Keep smiling
Ludwig
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
Go to the last link that Nada left above & read Barbara pointon story ,talk about determination & perseverance the woman deserve a medial .

My point is that’s what you’re going to need determination & perseverance, don’t let them intimidate you, fight for your rights & email your Mps & newspaper on the link above.

After my father died my mum solicitors gave me the power of attorney on mum before mum she was even diagnosed, I thought it was a bit strange I did understand it all, looking back now he must of seen something in mum that I did not Or maybe I did ,but was in denial
 

DickG

Registered User
Feb 26, 2006
558
0
88
Stow-on-the-Wold
Hi All

A practical posting for a change.

Firstly Enduring Power of Attourney. This is a very simple process which you can set up yourself at the cost of a few A4 pages of photocopying. It is essential that an EPA is set up whilst the sufferer can still understand what is happening. We were very fortunate that Mary's consultant suggested that it was time to do so. I now have the authority to manage Mary's financial affairs and to sign documents on her behalf.

Secondly Tennant in Common. This is a legal device whereby a property is owned not by a couple jointly but each owns half the property. By arranging our wills carefully this means that only half the property can be used to pay for care and the property can only be sold with the agreement of the other party! How this would work out in the end I am not sure but it would complicate matters for those claiming payment from the sale of a property and often this is sufficent to put them off persuing the claim.

I do not pretend to be a legal expert but often it is made to seem more complicated than it really is, remember "law is for the lawyers". If I can be of assistance please send me a private message and I will do my best to answer your questions or point you to where you can find answers, hopefully at no cost.

Hugs

Dick
 

Amy

Registered User
Jan 4, 2006
3,454
0
Just to back what Dick is saying about Tennants in Common, my mum and dad were given the same advice by their solicitor.
Amy