Any point doing a financial assessment with the council if mum owns her home?

LHS

Registered User
Oct 5, 2018
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My mum owns her house outright and also has some savings. Is there any point doing a financial assessment with the Council because she is way over the £23,000 savings/assets limit? I am assuming that she will have to self fund 100%?
 

Louise7

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Mar 25, 2016
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If you're talking about funding for a care home then you don't need to have a financial assessment if she is well over the financial limit and you feel there is no need (and you're not considering a deferred payment). There would be a potential benefit in doing so if her savings are under the £24,000 threshold though as she could qualify for a 12 week disregard meaning that her care home fees would be paid during that period and the house would be disregarded as an asset, giving you time to sell it.

If the assessment is in relation to carers at home, day care etc then it's probably worth doing as her house will be disregarded as an asset whilst she's still living there so only her income and savings will be taken into account.

You may find this factsheet helpful: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/who-pays-care
 
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LHS

Registered User
Oct 5, 2018
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Hey #Louise7 thanks thats really helpful. I have not heard of the 12 week disregard (NB I only recently read about the attendance allowance too).

At the moment I am trying to get some meals on wheels/care support for my mum at home. She gets a fairly good pension though, so my assumption is that she would need to pay still. At present its not payment thats a problem (i will remember those words in a few years when all her savings and the house have gone...), its persuading mum to accept external help.
 

Louise7

Volunteer Host
Mar 25, 2016
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My Mum was below the savings threshold and on a low income but was still assessed as needing to contribute to her care costs. Social services arranged the meals on wheels service/carers and we paid the meals on wheels company directly when we received their invoices.
 

anxious annie

Registered User
Jan 2, 2019
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My mum gets a good pension but we still had a financial and needs assessment and as she is below the savings threshold (just), and the house value isn't included, she does get help. She has to pay a contribution towards her care (she goes to a day centre and has carers 4 times a week for half an hour) , but it is nothing like what she would pay if she paid it all. As she lives by herself at home, she also gets the council tax disregard (Dr signed the form as she has Alzheimer's). It's worth looking into.
 

LHS

Registered User
Oct 5, 2018
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Thanks for replies #anxious annie and #Louise7 . I have just spoken today to a lovely lady from a private care agency and have been pleasantly surprised at the lower than expected cost of support visits so am going to go down this route for the time being and avoid council bureaucracy which I think would conclude anyway that mum would be self funding.