Who pays for care homes?

[kingybell]

I am trying to plan for the future and appreciate the answer to this question may not be valid by the time we need it.

Who pays for care homes? My mil owns a house with her separated husband (long story) it is in negative equity due to the countless loans she's had off it.

When the time comes who would pay for her care home?
We are in our 30s with a small child and without sounding selfish dont want to pay for a care home. I want to go on holidays and get a bigger house and all that stuff that people my age do. My husband (it's his mum) said he doesn't care where she goes as long as its within easy reach.

I keep seeing all this info about children paying for care homes for their parents and it is scaring me.

 

[jaymor]

Hi,

I am assuming you live in England and therefor can say that your MIL will be responsible for her own care should she need to go into a care home. If she has no assets then the LA will be responsible. Your MIL will have to use her state pension and any private pension towards her care with the LA making it up to their level of funding. If she goes into a home that accepts her pension plus LA contribution then there is nothing else to pay.

A better home, a larger room etc. comes at an additional cost and that is when top up fees come into play and these have to be paid by a third party at the moment and that would probably mean you and her son.

No one can be forced to pay a top up so if you are happy to accept a place that has been offered and is covered by pension and LA contribution you will be fine.

 

[CLAIREDAY]

I am trying to plan for the future and appreciate the answer to this question may not be valid by the time we need it.

Who pays for care homes? My mil owns a house with her separated husband (long story) it is in negative equity due to the countless loans she's had off it.

When the time comes who would pay for her care home?
We are in our 30s with a small child and without sounding selfish dont want to pay for a care home. I want to go on holidays and get a bigger house and all that stuff that people my age do. My husband (it's his mum) said he doesn't care where she goes as long as its within easy reach.

I keep seeing all this info about children paying for care homes for their parents and it is scaring me.

Hi kingybell

As the law stands at present nobody can be held liable for another person's care including the offspring.
That said I do know of a case where the LA tried to say the son was liable as the parents had very little money and the son was reasonably well off. The son just told the LA to take him to court and it backed down.
In some other countries offspring do have a responsibility for a parents care and the law could change in the future.


Claire

 

[kingybell]

That's a relief. She's not old enough to get a pension she's only 56 and if working age.
She's been on benefits for a lot of years now so she really has no money.