My mum owns her own home and has some savings. Her mental state is deteriorating quite rapidly and she lives in the past almost constantly. She asks about people long time gone and she confuses me with another family member who died many years ago and keeps asking about my Father (Walter) when in fact my Dad was her husband,not her uncle Walter. My conversation is the same repetative one that I have every time I am there,which I find really hard, as she is so confused. She is buying lots of food which is going out of date and has had Christmas already. I have asked her about her urine but all appears well. I know the time is coming for her to have Carers in which I expect she will have to fund which is not a problem.(SS seems to think she is managing just fine!) What about longer term when I think she will need a Care Home. Will she have to sell her home to fund this once her savings have gone? I know this will upset her as she and my Dad worked very hard for what they have and I know she wants to leave something for my Brother and myself. I am in the process of registering Power of Attorney for health, welfare and financial, but need a little bit of advice as to what happens next. Thanks.
Financial advice
- Thread starter Gingertwist
- Start date
The house is part of your Mum's assets and as such will fund her care until the assets reach the usual level. Up until then she will keep attendance allowance if she receives it and her pension. Once the LA have to contribute then she will loose attendance allowance and all but approx £24 per week of her pension. The £24 is to cover her personal needs.
If your mother has a home to sell and doesn't have a spouse living in it (or other family member over 60 plus a few other categories that are rarely an issue), then either the house will need to be sold or you will need to arrange for a deferred payment agreement with your local authority. What that means, basically, is the LA will pay what your mother would have paid had she sold the house but those payments will accrue against the value of the house. Currently such an agreement is interest free, and you have 52 (? hmm about that anyway) days to pay off the agreement after your mother's death before you start paying interest. If you do get such an agreement, she will be considered to be self-funding, which means she'll also continue to get AA/DLA. Of course the downside is that you have this property to worry about (insurance, getting tenants if you want, etc.)
Thank you for your advice. I will look into what our LA may or may not agree to. Its early days but I will bear this in mind. I keep hoping the dementia is a temporary blip, wishful thinking.
Thankyou. This is all new to me and Im not sure that the usual level is. It seems so unfair for someone to have to live on £24 per week for personal items, etc . Im hoping that she can remain in her home
If mum is able to stay at home with carers and family, that would be good for your mum. The £24 weekly referred to is purely in a care home to pay for things such as toiletries, newspaper, hairdresser usual sort of personal expenses. It is a minefield to start getting your head around all the benefits and form filling. Don't forget, if mum has been diagnosed and in receipt of attendance allowance, she could also claim council tax relief.
Here's a couple of links, hope these help.
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/E..._permanent_residential_care_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/E...rmanent_care_home_provision_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...chment_data/file/328377/NHS_CHC_easy_read.pdf
Here's a couple of links, hope these help.
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/E..._permanent_residential_care_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/E...rmanent_care_home_provision_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...chment_data/file/328377/NHS_CHC_easy_read.pdf
