financial assesment

mumsobusy

Registered User
Mar 16, 2013
5
0
Hi, can anyone clarify for me the rules on means testing for care homes please as i am getting conflicting reports. My mum is full time carer for my dad who has alzheimers, she has been recently hospitalised and when released she will be unable to continue caring for my dad so we are looking for permanent care for him. The social worker is coming to do a financial assesment but has told mum she needs to provide details of all her savings and investments. i was under the impression that only assets in dads name would be taken into consideration?
Mum is worried she might have a little over the £23000 threshold in her name but dad has only a small amount in his name as he has had alzheimers for 7 years now and has therefore not been involved in any financial decisions for a while now. mum is also worried about the house but i'm sure that is disregarded as she is over 60 , can anyone advise please?
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,677
0
Midlands
I think it is only your fathers funds that are taken into consideration, but wonder if, given that married couples normally have joint accounts, they do a check over your mothers too, to make sure she hasn't sqizzled away a few million last Tuesday week
, half of which I guess they would think was your fathers.
 

mumsobusy

Registered User
Mar 16, 2013
5
0
I think it is only your fathers funds that are taken into consideration, but wonder if, given that married couples normally have joint accounts, they do a check over your mothers too, to make sure she hasn't sqizzled away a few million last Tuesday week
, half of which I guess they would think was your fathers.

thankyou, thats what i thought, they have a joint account which has their pensions etc paid in and bills out , probably a few thousand in savings ,then mum has a few investments just in her name -not millions ! it's a minefield trying to get information and mums getting herself all worried when she should be concentrating on getting well!
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
Your Mums money is her own business and she may well need that at a later date. Only joint accounts and assets and those in your fathers name should be disclosed.
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
They will scrutinise the joint account and see look to see who is the main contributor to it.
They will also look over the bank satements of the past few months or even a year.
Joint savings will be divided in two, as will the joint account once the LA do start to contribute.

The house, as you rightly surmise, will be disregarded as long as your mother remains in it. If she should decide to sell it, half the proceeds will be considered as part of your father's capital but LAs can show some discretion when another home is being bought by your mother.
 

mumsobusy

Registered User
Mar 16, 2013
5
0
thanks both for your advice, just waiting for the financial assesment , and trying to find a suitable care home for dad to go to that we are happy with but that doesn't cost a fortune as it seems even if we get funding we will still have to pay a top up , any savings mum did have will soon disappear :(
 

truth24

Registered User
Oct 13, 2013
5,725
0
North Somerset
Re funding. In our case SS takes the whole of my OH's state pension and half of his private one/s. Minus about £23 weekly allowance for him. In my case I do have my own state and private pensions, so with my half of his private pension, can manage financially if not luxuriously. You can get 25 pc discount on Council tax for single occupancy, but, apart from lower usage of water and electricity, other household bills remain the same. Think there is probably some kind of pension top up if you have no other income. Of course, if I want to sell the house then all his fees, backdated I understand, would then come from his share as we would be considered self funders.
 

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