Going into a home - Private pension and a couple of other things

[Ephraim]

Hello and thanks for looking into this post. My Father who has Alzheimer's and Vascular is going into a home for about 8 days soon for restbite care which I imagine will be the first step to a permanent arrangement. The social worker who is 'helping' has told us we must pay for the care which is fine. Looking after Dad is too much for mum and it is affecting her health.
The social worker has told Mum that the care system will take all Dad's savings over £23000 (but he only has about £12000 in his account) and that they will also take his state pension, attendance allowance and all of his private pension leaving Mum with just her state pension.
Mum thinks she should still be entitled to half of his private pension (about £500 per month from his £1000 pension). He was a teacher.
I think it's awful that they can expect Mum to survive on £500 per month .Can anyone confirm this is what will happen please?
We have never had power of attorney or anything. Dad just signs cheques when we need him to and all expenditure is normal household stuff. He has now destroyed carpets in the house due to 'accidents'. We are afraid to spend money from his account to replace the carpets now that we await an assessment and they think we are squandering his money.
Do we need to get legal advice? Any advice would be appreciated very much.
Thanks for taking time to read this.
best wishes,
Ephraim

 

[rajahh]

I personally would have thought replacing damaged carpets was not " squandering". and I too thought that half of private pensions were left for wife to live on.

That is what I am hoping will happen for me too.

\I will be interested to see if anyone has knowledge of what should be happening

Jeannette

 

[Ephraim]

Thanks for your comments Jeanette.

Much appreciated,

Ephraim

 

[jenniferpa]

The only reason I'm dithering about answering this post is that you say you are in Belfast, and I have no idea really if the rules are the same in NI as they are in the rest of the UK. In the rest of the UK I can say categorically that your mother is entitled to 50% of your father's pension, NI I'm not so sure. I think the rules are the same, but I can't swear to it.

Let me see if I can find some links for you.

 

[jenniferpa]

Aha, it is the same




from http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/charging-for-residential-accommodation-guide-2013.pdf

So the social worker is dead wrong, and frankly should know better.

 

[fiitay]

sorry to hijack your post but can you tell me if this works if its "hers and not his" even if he has a private pension???

Fi xx

 

[Ephraim]

Thank you sooo much Jennifer! The social worker is determined and has told me that my viewpoint is nonsense.
I cannot wait to tell her she is wrong.
Most importantly though, this will give my Mum some reassurance that she will not be left in a position where she can't heat the house or pay the utility bills.

Jennifer, Thanks for taking the time to look into this for us. I cannot express my gratitude enough!

For anyone else reading this, I have been through the full journey from the onset of the illness to sadly having to put my Father into care and this website has been invaluable. From my initial concerns about behavioral issues to financial worries, I have always received positive and informative advice from people out there who visit and moderate on the site. Whatever you are concerned about - just ask. Someone out there has the answer or support.

Thanks again Jennifer!

 

[Ephraim]

Jennifer,
May I ask where your legal documents are quoted from please? So that I may quote them should the need arise.
Thanks,
Ephraim

 

[jussiejus]

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?62319-Going-into-a-home-Private-pension

Aha, it is the same

View attachment 37369


from http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/charging-for-residential-accommodation-guide-2013.pdf

So the social worker is dead wrong, and frankly should know better.

Please forgive me for butting in,but I had a lot to do with a "social worker" who was wrong all the way through, if I could put in here what happened it might alert you to the errors that my dads social worker made and you can be ahead of the game.

My dad was referred to a nursing home for a period of 6 weeks as he kept falling over which was due to constipation (never under estimate the symptons of constipation and urinary track infections - they are horrible). At the first meeting she said she wanted to collect money for the last 4 weeks that he would be in the home, however a new government directive had just come out extending from 2 weeks to 6 weeks, which I was able to prove and supplied the proof. You would have thought she should have known it...................

Throughout the whole of the six weeks she constantly kept trying to get me to sign a direct debit form to which she always got the same response

1. My mother still hasnt had a review of her finances carried out so how did she come to the frankly ridiculous figures she quoted, and that until someone had been to carry out the review she wasnt getting any money (not that she would due to the 6 week rule)

2. She asked me to sign the direct debit mandate without finding out if Power of Attorney had been granted to me, which would of course have made it a fraudulent transaction, having previously worked in banking for 23 yrs you can imagine my reaction to her suggestion.

Unfortunately after a period of leaving the home and returning to the marital home, my dad had to be sectioned, this time a much better social worker who knew her stuff. I am not sure if this is still the case but because my dad had had to be sectioned it meant that all the time he was in the nursing home he went to after being section was totally free of all charge.

Look around for a nursing home that is suitable for you and your mum and insist on your dad going there as it would be better for him and his family.

I hope this helps, please do just check out NI sectioning implications, but fight, fight for your dad, I did and I am so glad I did, unfortunately my dad died in June this year, and although we are as a family desperately missing him, he is in a better place.

Good luck and best wishes

jussiejus

 

[jenniferpa]

Jennifer,
May I ask where your legal documents are quoted from please? So that I may quote them should the need arise.
Thanks,
Ephraim

Ephraim I put the link in my post but here it is again http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/charging-for-residential-accommodation-guide-2013.pdf

The actual title is CHARGING FOR RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION GUIDE (CRAG) Amended Text April 2013

This is coming from the The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety of Northern Ireland and your local authority must follow these guidelines. In fact, they must follow all the guidelines that are in that document (even though they are called guidelines they are in fact the law).

Oh and a P.S. You might want to (politely if you can do it) suggest to this social worker that she familiarise herself with all the relevant information that she should know to do her job which can be found on this page http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/ec-residential-accommodation .

 

[Ephraim]

HI Jennifer,
Many thanks once again. I have printed the documents and will have them ready next Tuesday when the social worker visits again.
Best wishes,
Ephriam

 

[Ephraim]

Hi Jussiejus,

Many thanks for your message. It compounds my suspicions that these so called professionals do not always know what they are talking about despite their adamant attitude and insistence.

I am sorry to hear that your Dad passed away.

Thanks for your contribution. I really appreciate that.
best wishes,
Ephraim