I joined this forum because an elderly relative has Alzheimer’s and I wanted to try to understand more about problems she and the family would face. It has been very informative and I have gained an insight into how this awful disease affects people. Thank you.
Sadly, a good friend of mine has also recently been affected by dementia and is now in a care home. The questions I want to ask is about his and his wife’s financial circumstances, as the explanations and answers she has been given don’t make 100% sense.
He has recently gone into full time care, and is self funding.
They own a house under ‘Tenancy in Common’.
Both have savings above the £23500 threshold.
The wife has a state pension plus a very small pension, total less than the ‘new state pension’
He has his state pension, plus 2 main pensions which provided the bulk of their income and was used to maintain their house and living costs. He receives full Attendance Allowance.
They are self funding the care home costs from his pensions and savings at the moment.
Their house has high overheads which was paid for by his pensions.
She has been led to believe that she shouldn’t use any of his pension money, it should all go to funding his place in the care home.
Question 1. Is she entitled to use part of his pensions to provide for the upkeep on his share of their house? Without this facility, she will not be able to maintain the house in good repair, nor pay heating bills etc as her pensions are insufficient.
Question 2. When his savings reach the £23500 point, we understand that the council takes a charge on his share of the property to pay back what he owes. Can she still use part of his pension to maintain the upkeep on their house?
Question 3. When the value of his share of the house is used up, what happens to her financially? Can she still use part of his pensions to maintain the house? Or is all of it taken by the council before they top up the care home fees?
Thank you
Sadly, a good friend of mine has also recently been affected by dementia and is now in a care home. The questions I want to ask is about his and his wife’s financial circumstances, as the explanations and answers she has been given don’t make 100% sense.
He has recently gone into full time care, and is self funding.
They own a house under ‘Tenancy in Common’.
Both have savings above the £23500 threshold.
The wife has a state pension plus a very small pension, total less than the ‘new state pension’
He has his state pension, plus 2 main pensions which provided the bulk of their income and was used to maintain their house and living costs. He receives full Attendance Allowance.
They are self funding the care home costs from his pensions and savings at the moment.
Their house has high overheads which was paid for by his pensions.
She has been led to believe that she shouldn’t use any of his pension money, it should all go to funding his place in the care home.
Question 1. Is she entitled to use part of his pensions to provide for the upkeep on his share of their house? Without this facility, she will not be able to maintain the house in good repair, nor pay heating bills etc as her pensions are insufficient.
Question 2. When his savings reach the £23500 point, we understand that the council takes a charge on his share of the property to pay back what he owes. Can she still use part of his pension to maintain the upkeep on their house?
Question 3. When the value of his share of the house is used up, what happens to her financially? Can she still use part of his pensions to maintain the house? Or is all of it taken by the council before they top up the care home fees?
Thank you