Financial assessment

Jacquis

Registered User
Jan 7, 2019
11
0
My husband has had a financial assessment, and taking into account his savings and looking at 6 months bank statements and private pensions, it has been assesses that we have to pay towards daily care, there came a point where it was discussed that he may need full time residential care. I asked how does that affect me financially, I was told that they would take his state pension and private pensions. if a joint assessment is done, or an assessment on me as his wife, what information do they need from me. Do they take my private saving into account, or do they just look at what I bring in from my own pension.
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hi @Jacquis

here's a link to pages on the main AS site that may help
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/who-pays-care

any financial assessment should be on only your husband's finances ie his income, his savings/assets and half of any joint savings/assets (except your house; as long as both of you, or you on your own, are living there the house is disregarded completely) ... so any payment of fees is from his finances only, possibly with a contribution from the LA ... keep your income separate so you are not paying any of his fees (sounds mercenary, but you need your own money for yourself)

for residential care home fees, if your husband's assets are below the threshold and his income is low so doesn't cover the fees, the LA will contribute, taking his state pension, private pension (but it is possible for your husband to give you half of any private pensions he has) and he will no longer receive Attendance Allowance

your own individual income and savings should not be part of any assessment, though the LA must not leave you in an impossible financial position, and to evidence that you may choose to let them know your financial status, and check on any benefits you may be entitled to
 

yorkie46

Registered User
Jan 28, 2014
413
0
Southampton
I found that information very helpful. I'm not yet at the point of needing a financial assessment but think it may it be far off. I have been careful recently to not add much to his one savings account and to keep out joint savings as low as possible. My biggest concern is our current accounts. They are both in joint names though we have always operated them separately. His pensions go into his account and mine go into my account. Will they take them as joint and divide them. We made them joint when we were younger and travelling a lot so that if one of us was ill the other could access money. I'm wondering if it would be sensible to now change mine to my name only. I would leave my husband's as joint because I don't think he'll understand the need to change it. He has deteriorated rapidly over the last few months. Keeps asking what day it is several times a day and in new years day asked me if it was boxing day. I told him no it was new years day and he asked when boxing day was! I'm going to speak to the GP about the recent changes but I doubt she will have any help to offer. She usually just tells me what a good job in doing if looking after him! Not what I need.
 

Ruth1974

Registered User
Dec 26, 2018
128
0
My husband has had a financial assessment, and taking into account his savings and looking at 6 months bank statements and private pensions, it has been assesses that we have to pay towards daily care, there came a point where it was discussed that he may need full time residential care. I asked how does that affect me financially, I was told that they would take his state pension and private pensions. if a joint assessment is done, or an assessment on me as his wife, what information do they need from me. Do they take my private saving into account, or do they just look at what I bring in from my own pension.
They have no right to take your income into consideration at all and i understand that you can claim half of his occupational pension.
You have every right to ask them to send you a list if the info they require so that you can take legal advice. 'Friendly' people with clipboards coming to my home wanting info doesnt appeal to me.
 

Ruth1974

Registered User
Dec 26, 2018
128
0
I found that information very helpful. I'm not yet at the point of needing a financial assessment but think it may it be far off. I have been careful recently to not add much to his one savings account and to keep out joint savings as low as possible. My biggest concern is our current accounts. They are both in joint names though we have always operated them separately. His pensions go into his account and mine go into my account. Will they take them as joint and divide them. We made them joint when we were younger and travelling a lot so that if one of us was ill the other could access money. I'm wondering if it would be sensible to now change mine to my name only. I would leave my husband's as joint because I don't think he'll understand the need to change it. He has deteriorated rapidly over the last few months. Keeps asking what day it is several times a day and in new years day asked me if it was boxing day. I told him no it was new years day and he asked when boxing day was! I'm going to speak to the GP about the recent changes but I doubt she will have any help to offer. She usually just tells me what a good job in doing if looking after him! Not what I need.
What i did was keep the joint account and start my own account. My wages go into my account and i pay some accross into the joint account monthly. All his pensions go into the joint account. We run the house off the joint account. This means that the joint account is fairly low, but any savings are in my name and are clearly my earnings.

The house is in my name but they cant touch it because i live there (with the kids).

They will have his pension, but we will manage
 

Jacquis

Registered User
Jan 7, 2019
11
0
Thank you, all your advice and experience gratefully received, if it isn’t hard enough coping with the caring the added financial pressure turns it all into a living nightmare.
 

Maggiejigs

Registered User
Apr 22, 2018
81
0
I have been told today that if my husband goes into a care home they will take his State pension plus half his private pension but someone else said they would take all his private pension . We have savings so will have to self fund if/when the time comes for him to go into a home but I thought the fees would come from his half of our savings and his private pension would continue to go into our joint bank account. However, if they take half his private pension then I will have to use some of my savings to live and I won’t be able touch his half of our savings. It’s been a long day and it may be six of one, half a dozen of the other and I am missing something maybe.

Suppose what I am asking is -

a) can the care home officially obtain 50% of my husband’s private pension
b) can I personally pay his care home fees from his share of our savings without interference from care home
c) if and when his savings run out is that when 50% of his private pension will be commandeered by care home?

Hopefully above makes sense - perhaps I need to see either a financial adviser or a solicitor who are clued up on this subject as it appears to be a bit of a minefield with grey areas!
 

Ruth1974

Registered User
Dec 26, 2018
128
0
They have no right to take your income into consideration at all and i understand that you can claim half of his occupational pension.
You have every right to ask them to send you a list if the info they require so that you can take legal advice. 'Friendly' people with clipboards coming to my home wanting info doesnt appeal to me.
I have been told today that if my husband goes into a care home they will take his State pension plus half his private pension but someone else said they would take all his private pension . We have savings so will have to self fund if/when the time comes for him to go into a home but I thought the fees would come from his half of our savings and his private pension would continue to go into our joint bank account. However, if they take half his private pension then I will have to use some of my savings to live and I won’t be able touch his half of our savings. It’s been a long day and it may be six of one, half a dozen of the other and I am missing something maybe.

Suppose what I am asking is -

a) can the care home officially obtain 50% of my husband’s private pension
b) can I personally pay his care home fees from his share of our savings without interference from care home
c) if and when his savings run out is that when 50% of his private pension will be commandeered by care home?

Hopefully above makes sense - perhaps I need to see either a financial adviser or a solicitor who are clued up on this subject as it appears to be a bit of a minefield with grey areas!


It depends if you are in England or elsewhere in the UK. They can't touch your personal money, they will take half of joint savings above a certain amount (check the figure because it is quite high). You can keep half his private pension but his state pension and attendance allowance pay for care BUT look at the price of the care, if the care home is, say £600 per week, some of that is health care(free) , some is personal care (free in Scotland) and the rest is to pay for. If you live in the family home they can't sell it from under you. They have no right to any info about your own personal, private finances.

If you are financially able, they have no need to assess you, you can simply pay the fees. You are only financially assessed if you are requesting support. .turn it on its head, the care home isnt comandeering your money, there is a set fee. If you want the local authority to help with that fee they will assess your husband's (not your) ability to pay. Its horrible, but easier to think about that way.

So
A) yes
B)yes
C) you are entitled to half your joint savings and check how much he is allowed to have saved before they take it into consideration. Its not as bleak as it looks.

You can get advice from CAB/ Carers centre for free, its also online and rrally, the local authority should provide their policy to you
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hi @Maggiejigs
this link
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/who-pays-care

for self-funding
your husband or his Attorney remains wholly in control of his finances (if LPA isn't in place, even as his spouse, you need to arrange this or become his Deputy)
he self funds if he has assets over £ 23250, which is any of his sole savings and half of joint savings and/or if his income will cover care home fees ... your house does not count as part of his assets as long as you, his spouse, lives there

the LA will begin to contribute to his fees when his savings fall below the amount above, if his income doesn't cover the fees, after carrying out a financial assessment on his financex

once his savings fall below £14250 the LA effectively pay the fees however they will use his state pension to put towards fees and at least half any private pension (as he can allow you 50% of his private pension, and I believe LAs assume this will be the case), and Attendance Allowance stops

you may wish to consider splitting any joint savings now and even having separate current accounts, with maybe a direct debit of half his private pension into your account, so that's a fait accomplis ... leaving your joint account for both of you to have a monthly direct debit into, to cover the family expenses
 
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Maggiejigs

Registered User
Apr 22, 2018
81
0
Thank you all for your responses. I already have LPA. Thankfully over the years some of our savings were in my name as my LO was paying 40% tax in his working life.

Shedrech - are you saying that I can move monies in a joint building society account into an account in my name only - I thought the LA could track back to post diagnosis to see if we have done anything like this? Or maybe you mean only half the monies into an account in my name?

Ruth1974 - thank you for your explanation and I understand now - and it is what I believed - that if we are self funding then I just pay the care home fees and the LA only come into play when my husband’s savings are down to the threshold he is allowed and they are required to help. This is all hypothetical of course as none of us knows how things will pan out - and therein sadly lies our dilemma !

Thanks also for the links which I will check out.
 

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