Help

tinytot143

I really aren't sure if anyone here can help but you might be able to point me in the right direct of where to get the help from.

My dad had a head injury back in July last year. He had his own business with my mum working for him but do to the injury he can't work now. The business when into liquidation and neither of them work now due to my mum looking after my dad!!!!!!!!

We have our house up for sale as we were moving up closer to them anyway but have now thought of moving in with them and having an extention built instead.

We don't really know if doing this is a good idea as they might take all my mum and dad's benefits off them!!!!

We would be paying for the extension and could end up putting the house in our name to do so!!! but not sure on that one yet.

We would be living as two seperate families in the same house but just helping out with looking after my dad as my mum is with him 24.7 and its really getting her down now I think x x

HELP!!!!!!!! anyone

Tracey

Jowo_2

One thing to consider and research are the rules around 'deprivation of capital' (google this) which can take place when an asset is transferred to family members. This means social services will ignore the transfer for the purposes of calculating means tested benefits (notional capital) so that even though your parents no longer own the house, they are treated as if they do. This is an area that has received a lot of publicity as some elderly people transferred property to their children in order to evade selling it to pay for their care home costs, or were ignorant of the consequences of their action, or where some people get turned down for other benefits because they are considered to have got rid of their capital to enhance their eligibility for state support.

What benefits do your parents currently receive or are applying for?

tinytot143

The benefits that they get at the minute is

Disability Living Allowance and Pension Credit (Dad's name)
Carer's Allowance (Mum's name)

Don't have to pay council tax but if we were to move in then that would change I think!!!!

fluffymovie

It would seem that your parents are also in receipt of Council Tax Benefit so if you do move in, this would change and they could have a bill to pay.

For Carers Allowance, I don't think it matters that you are planning to live with them and same for DLA so it shoudn't affect these

I have a parent who has suffered significant brain injury too so know how hard it is to know what to do for the best and wish you luck

tinytot143

Think were going to need luck !!!

Will see how we go on with selling our house before we make a final decision on what we do but hopefully make sure that my parents have enough money to live on x x

Fire_Fox

Are you going to build a self contained extension, i.e. your own kitchen and bathroom? If so this will be classed as a separate dwelling for council tax and you will be classed as a separate household so it shouldn't affect their benefits. Basically it will be as if you live next door.

bigbill

You will have no effect on their benefits as dad has DLA care, end off.

tinytot143

Thank you for your help, were also considering both selling our houses and buying a big one to share now!!!!!!!!!! It just depends on the what we all get for our houses and if we sell them!!!!!!

fluffymovie

As per Firefox, I would speak to your local council regarding this as from my understanding, an annex can have some of it's own facilities but our Ctax inspector has said in the past that a property should have it's own access or else it might not be banded seperately.