Don't know whether anyone can help me, had the Financial man from the Council to go through our income etc., yesterday, and really still none the wiser. I have been told that they will take my hubby's occupational pension, along with his state pension. They will let me retain half the occupational pension. They have told me my contribution will be £425.80 per week, the Council rate is £431.80, so in fact they will be only paying a fraction of. the ch costs. This is what I can't comprehend, I have overheads on the house amounting to approx. £700 per month, and only have my pension coming in on the back of my husband's, plus half of his firm's pension leaving me not enough to pay house expenses and my contribution,leaving me absolutely nothing to live on, zilch. How I understand it, is that I, despite them taking the pension and state pension etc., will be liable to find the £425.80 per week out of the portion left for me. Worried to death really, as I wont be able to physically do this. Perhaps I have got this wrong, can anyone help please, in desperation .....
Can anyone help.
- Thread starter petromany
- Start date
That can't be right, can it? Surely they mean that what they are taking is your "contribution"? I mean - they can't take all that income from you and then say you have to make a contribution from what is left?
This has GOT to be wrong.
I really don't know the answer to your question, but from what I understand from reading in here. There is no way you should be paying out of your own money, anything towards his care
I'm sure someone knows the rules and will be along with them when they can. Until they can, Ring the alchzeimers help line tomorrow. Don't let the council man get to you. Cynic in me thinks he is pulling a fast one.
I really don't know the answer to your question, but from what I understand from reading in here. There is no way you should be paying out of your own money, anything towards his care
I'm sure someone knows the rules and will be along with them when they can. Until they can, Ring the alchzeimers help line tomorrow. Don't let the council man get to you. Cynic in me thinks he is pulling a fast one.
I agree with Lady A. It sounds like they are talking about third party top ups. These are not mandatory I seem to remember. I think you need to get everything in writing from them and then it may become clearer.
Take a look at a previous question about existing debts and commitments:
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?54017-Recognition-of-legal-debts&highlight=mortgage
JJ
Take a look at a previous question about existing debts and commitments:
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?54017-Recognition-of-legal-debts&highlight=mortgage
JJ
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Hi petromary
Firstly: is it possible that the "your contribution" amount you have been quoted is the sum of your husband's state pension, 50% of his occupational pension plus the £1 per £250 of savings that he has between the £14,250 lower limit and the £23250 upper limit (this latter amount should be no more than £36)?
(Edit: the above amount will be minus the personal expense allowance of approx £23)
Secondly: how much per week is the care home bill?
Firstly: is it possible that the "your contribution" amount you have been quoted is the sum of your husband's state pension, 50% of his occupational pension plus the £1 per £250 of savings that he has between the £14,250 lower limit and the £23250 upper limit (this latter amount should be no more than £36)?
(Edit: the above amount will be minus the personal expense allowance of approx £23)
Secondly: how much per week is the care home bill?
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To all of you kind people I hope you are right and I misunderstood the situation. All I have been given is a pre-printed form telling me that my contribution is £425 80. My hubby hasn't any savings of £14,000 and above, he falls below this figure. Will do what you advise and contact the Alzheimers Org. tomorrow to put my mind at rest. Otherwise it will mean I will have to continue care at home, although he now needs 24 hr care, and preferably 1 to 1 as he has deteriorated rapidly of late. Quite honestly I am ashamed to say I can no longer cope. He was recently in respite and they telephoned me to come and fetch him as his behaviour was "challenging" to say the least, and if they cant manage him, who can.... Some respite, now I have to go around the ch to see is anyone will take him, ss has said it has to be an EMI unit, so that's a further problem.... Oh well, I have to try and stay sane. Sorry to be so miserable, I m not like that at all really.
As I understand it the government pays the pensions into your husbands funds as do his non-state pension. The LA will bill you for all of the state one and half of the non-state one. They may also have decided to try to get you to pay a top up and added that to the bill.
A similar thing happened to us - I thought that they would take Mum's pension etc at source so was horrified to have this massive bill arrive.
A similar thing happened to us - I thought that they would take Mum's pension etc at source so was horrified to have this massive bill arrive.
Dear Petromany
I haven't absorbed the figures yet, or the rest of your post, but I spotted your phrase saying you were ashamed that you could not cope. You must NOT be ashamed. I have been on this website since my mum was diagnosed in 2007 and I have not met ANYBODY who deserves to feel ashamed. This illness is damned hard to cope with, so don't do yourself down my love, feel proud that you are seeking help. Nothing at all to feel ashamed about.
Much love
Margaret
I haven't absorbed the figures yet, or the rest of your post, but I spotted your phrase saying you were ashamed that you could not cope. You must NOT be ashamed. I have been on this website since my mum was diagnosed in 2007 and I have not met ANYBODY who deserves to feel ashamed. This illness is damned hard to cope with, so don't do yourself down my love, feel proud that you are seeking help. Nothing at all to feel ashamed about.
Much love
Margaret
Hello again
Another few thoughts and things to mention.
Care homes come in all shapes and sizes, and have different charging structures.
Some only charge Local Authority Rates, as you have been told that is £431.80 a week.
If your husband's state pension and half his occupational (private) pension doesn't meet that amount, his place in such a care home would need no further payment from you. The local authority would pay the difference - and leave him with £23.50 a week spending money.
But if you choose a home that charges more, someone has to pay the excess over £431.80. Most of us agree that you should not contract to paying this excess, it can run into a lot of money very quickly. So our advice I am sure would be to stick with he first one.
So if you choose a Care Home with fees of £431.80 or below, you will have nothing to pay. But if you choose a care home with higher fees, you will have to find some way of paying the extra.
Love
Margaret
Another few thoughts and things to mention.
Care homes come in all shapes and sizes, and have different charging structures.
Some only charge Local Authority Rates, as you have been told that is £431.80 a week.
If your husband's state pension and half his occupational (private) pension doesn't meet that amount, his place in such a care home would need no further payment from you. The local authority would pay the difference - and leave him with £23.50 a week spending money.
But if you choose a home that charges more, someone has to pay the excess over £431.80. Most of us agree that you should not contract to paying this excess, it can run into a lot of money very quickly. So our advice I am sure would be to stick with he first one.
So if you choose a Care Home with fees of £431.80 or below, you will have nothing to pay. But if you choose a care home with higher fees, you will have to find some way of paying the extra.
Love
Margaret
Margaret has put it very well.
You say you have to find a home that will take him. Why are you having to do this? I believe this is a job for Social Services. They should come up with a few suggestions and then you can be involved in choosing one you like. I would contact them and ask them to do so.
JJ
You say you have to find a home that will take him. Why are you having to do this? I believe this is a job for Social Services. They should come up with a few suggestions and then you can be involved in choosing one you like. I would contact them and ask them to do so.
JJ
No help at all
I am afraid that after Dad had been sectioned Social Services were no help whatsoever (in fact Social Services have been of absolutely no help at any time). Poor Dad had already been in two homes that could not handle him and we were asked to look for another when he was ready to be released from the assessment centre. I asked for a list of suitable homes that we could look at. We were given a brochure that covered the whole of the county, and just reading the descriptions I knew that many of them were not suitable as they did not take dementia sufferers. I asked his case worker to suggest which local homes he felt would be able to cope with Dad's aggression. I was told that they were not able to make recommendations and that we would have to decide from the information given in the brochure. We visited several and settled on three that we thought might be suitable (bearing in mind that I live 200 miles away from Dad). When the managers from the homes visited and assessed Dad they all came back to say they could not take him. We eventually found somewhere and the useless t**t of a case worker said that he didn't think any of the three places we had chosen would take him because where he ended up was the only place locally that could deal with that sort of behaviour. Now why couldn't he at least suggest we look there in the first place. Total waste of time and emotional drain for us.
I am sorry to sound so negative but the lack of advice and support during the whole process was astounding. I sincerely hope that the Social workers in your area are of more use than the chocolate teapots in Dad's area.
Linda
I am afraid that after Dad had been sectioned Social Services were no help whatsoever (in fact Social Services have been of absolutely no help at any time). Poor Dad had already been in two homes that could not handle him and we were asked to look for another when he was ready to be released from the assessment centre. I asked for a list of suitable homes that we could look at. We were given a brochure that covered the whole of the county, and just reading the descriptions I knew that many of them were not suitable as they did not take dementia sufferers. I asked his case worker to suggest which local homes he felt would be able to cope with Dad's aggression. I was told that they were not able to make recommendations and that we would have to decide from the information given in the brochure. We visited several and settled on three that we thought might be suitable (bearing in mind that I live 200 miles away from Dad). When the managers from the homes visited and assessed Dad they all came back to say they could not take him. We eventually found somewhere and the useless t**t of a case worker said that he didn't think any of the three places we had chosen would take him because where he ended up was the only place locally that could deal with that sort of behaviour. Now why couldn't he at least suggest we look there in the first place. Total waste of time and emotional drain for us.
I am sorry to sound so negative but the lack of advice and support during the whole process was astounding. I sincerely hope that the Social workers in your area are of more use than the chocolate teapots in Dad's area.
Linda
Can't help with the finances problem but just want to give you a hug. Have you got any support, practical and emotional, for you? It can be a very lonely and exhausting business being a carer and you need help every bit as much as your husband. You're not useless girl, you're a heroine. Make lots of noise and fuss, don't try to appear brave and coping. Seems to me he who shouts loudest gets the most attention. Good luck. X
Call me stupid but isn't
his contribution not yours? i.e. he has to pay that and the council pay the difference and you are left with your pension and half of your husband's occupational pension? Hope you get it clarified soon for your peace of mind.
best wishes
Sue
