Financial questions

clairedelacey

Registered User
Dec 15, 2015
22
0
Northumberland
Hello everyone I hope you can help.
My Father went into a care home on Friday for respite care as his partner could no longer cope with him, this has all happened very suddenly and I have suddenly found myself at my wits end trying to cope with the emotional and mental turmoil, plus facing a lot of unknown situations and questions.
I have many questions which I will post on different sections of the forum and hopefully you kind people can help me.
As this is the legal and financial forum my main concerns are, I am his power of attorney so I understand that I need to make some very crucial decisions for his welfare and that of his partner. Dad has been with his partner for 25 years and they currently own a home together as I believe tenants in common, he has more of an income than she does as in pension and it would be my intention to make sure that she is looked after and doesn't suffer financially as he would not want this and neither would I. I think she is on a minimal pension as part of a couple, could she expect to get some kind of help if she were to live on her own if he was taken into care full time?
I am struggling to understand the care home funding situation, he had a financial assessment in October and this says that his maximum weekly assessed charge is £250.63 but I'm not sure if this is for just day care or full time care or if indeed there is a different assessment made for each and as such will he need a new assessment?
He currently receives attendance allowance, will this be stopped if he goes into care full time and should I report the fact that he has gone into a care home to DWP at this stage?
As mentioned above he owns a house jointly with his partner as tenants in common, will this be taken into account with regard to his care home fees and will there be any pressure to sell their home as she still lives in it?
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated, before my own mental health suffers!
Kind Regards
Claire
 
Last edited:

pony-mad

Registered User
May 23, 2014
1,073
0
Mid-Wales
Hi Claire, I am no expert but I do know that her home is not at risk. Someone will doubtless be along who can be more help! Good luck!


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Pete R

Registered User
Jul 26, 2014
2,036
0
Staffs
Hi Claire,

Firstly the home is totally disregarded and will not have to be sold as long as your Dad's partner lives in it. If she later wishes to downsize things change but maybe best to leave that for a while.

I am assuming that your Dad does not have savings so yes he will lose AA. All of his state pension will be used for his care along with half of any occupational pension. The other half will go to the partner.

When living together they are treated as a couple for benefits but if your Dad goes in full time they are considered separate and the partner may be able to claim other benefits.

The weekly assessed charge is probably based on full time care and the amount will be made up from what he gets from his pensions and any small amount of savings. You should have been given a sheet with how it is worked out.

These Age UK factsheets are very good.........
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...MKlaldbgG_amzBg&bvm=bv.97653015,d.ZGU&cad=rjt

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...qSyQP2sa0Wv5fQ&bvm=bv.110151844,d.d24&cad=rjt

I wish you well.:)
 
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clairedelacey

Registered User
Dec 15, 2015
22
0
Northumberland
Hi Claire,

Firstly the home is totally disregarded and will not have to be sold as long as your Dad's partner lives in it. If she later wishes to downsize things change but maybe best to leave that for a while.

I am assuming that your Dad does not have savings so yes he will lose AA. All of his state pension will be used for his care along with half of any occupational pension. The other half will go to the partner.

When living together they are treated as a couple for benefits but if your Dad goes in full time they are considered separate and the partner may be able to claim other benefits.

The weekly assessed charge is probably based on full time care and the amount will be made up from what he gets from his pensions and any small amount of savings. You should have been given a sheet with how it is worked out.

These Age UK factsheets are very good.........
[I wish you well.:)
Hi Pete, thank you so much for the information you have no idea how much of a relief it is to me to finally have some definite answers.
The only other query I have is that he does have some savings of around £16K, so will things change when this money has been depleted by paying his share of the care home fees?
Thank you again
Claire x
 

Pete R

Registered User
Jul 26, 2014
2,036
0
Staffs
The only other query I have is that he does have some savings of around £16K, so will things change when this money has been depleted by paying his share of the care home fees?
Thank you again
Claire x
I will not change much but again it should be on the financial assessment sheet.

Your Dad is allowed to keep £14250 of the saving. For some reason, I not why, for every £250 above that he is charged £1/week for his care. He is also allowed a Personal Expenses Allowance of £24.90/week for everyday extras.

So every year the savings will reduce to the level above and the £1/week part finishes and he will get the PEA back from his pensions contribution.

Bear in mind he does not have to wait to spend any of the £14250. The LA computer will just assume it is there even if he blows the lot on day one.:)

Again the LA should do all the calculations and send a yearly finance statement.

:)
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
Because he has savings between £14,250 and £23,250 he will have to pay something towards the care home fees in addition to the Attendance Allowance, state pension and half of any occupational pension (minus a small amount for personal spending). Once his savings go below £14,250 he will not have to pay any extra form his savings. The local Authority will pay the rest up to a certain amount. He will have a financial assessment to find out how much he should pay towards it.
Be aware that many CH cost more than the Local Authority will fund and the family would then be asked to pay "top up" fees once he goes below the £14,250 threshold. Do check up whether his present CH is covered or not - you can ask the CH what their position is. The local authority should have at least one place which is completely covered by their funding if the family is unable to provide top-ups, but you wont have much choice.

Edit to say that this is a useful site http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/paying-your-residential-care-or-nursing-home-fees
 
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Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,050
0
Salford
The Government have a benefits calculator (link below), I would think she'd be entitled to pension credits at least but there may be other things.
Personally I'd contact social services and ask them to do an assessment possibly as a vulnerable adult they'll tell her what she's entitled to.
You should tell the DWP as soon as reasonably possible, it's only a phone call and I've always found them very helpful.
K

http://benefits-calculator.turn2us....dviser&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=GovUK
 

clairedelacey

Registered User
Dec 15, 2015
22
0
Northumberland
Thanks for all of your wonderful advise I feel a whole lot better knowing some facts, I'm sure I'll have lots more questions but at least I know where to come and ask them. Thank you all again. Claire xx
 

Stovey

Registered User
Apr 30, 2013
16
0
Very anxious for 2 years Financial Assessment

Would like to offer some reassurance on Financial Assessment. My husband has been self funding for a year in residential care. So worried by some reports but no need. He dropped to under £23250 threshold and assessment. Very straightforward and his contribution was as expected. Only advice is it took council 3 months but overpayments are being reimbursed. Please don't have sleepless nights as I did x
 

mrjelly

Registered User
Jul 23, 2012
314
0
West Sussex
Hello everyone I hope you can help.
My Father went into a care home on Friday for respite care as his partner could no longer cope with him, this has all happened very suddenly and I have suddenly found myself at my wits end trying to cope with the emotional and mental turmoil, plus facing a lot of unknown situations and questions. ..........

I am rather confused about whether you expect your father to be in residential care temporarily or permanently. Normally respite care is for a few days/weeks, but your other remarks suggest that this is probably going to be a permanent situation.