Help for bereaved Uncle - Please...

northerntwo1

if he isn't entitled then he isn't entitled. I have a neighbour who have less than £150 per week for them both. The savings in their account were their childs. They have shown the DWP that this was a result of an insurance payment for their child but they are denied help.

He is assessed based on income (assumed as well as practical). It is the way it is. Can you not help him financially?

Mojisola

dizzy-di wrote: »

So now he is struggling he gets state pension, attendance allowance, small pension, and industrial injuries, and he had only £10,000 now in bank, he is housebound and so cant get to the bank, and so i am paying some of his bill for him, i pay his gas/elec £135 per month - he is 87 and had heating on even in summer.

If he's got £10k in the bank, he has enough to be going on with.

You could be added to his bank account as a signatory which would allow you to sign cheques for him.

Have you asked for help from AgeUK or CAB?

dizzy-di_2

northerntwo1 wrote: »

if he isn't entitled then he isn't entitled. I have a neighbour who have less than £150 per week for them both. The savings in their account were their childs. They have shown the DWP that this was a result of an insurance payment for their child but they are denied help.

He is assessed based on income (assumed as well as practical). It is the way it is. Can you not help him financially?

I am already helping him financially and in other ways.

dizzy-di_2

Mojisola wrote: »

If he's got £10k in the bank, he has enough to be going on with.

You could be added to his bank account as a signatory which would allow you to sign cheques for him.

Have you asked for help from AgeUK or CAB?

No i havent, to be honest, i thought i would ask here first. I used to be able to do 3rd party transfers when he wanted money, now the bank dont do this, i will ask if there is another way.

northerntwo1

He must be brining in £300 a week plus if on those benefits. What is his rental? That is a high income. If the issue is care related costs then please ask the Social Worker to consider direct payments.

dizzy-di_2

northerntwo1 wrote: »

He must be brining in £300 a week plus if on those benefits. What is his rental? That is a high income. If the issue is care related costs then please ask the Social Worker to consider direct payments.

His total income is £275 per week, he pays .....

£ 95 rent Housing association property
£ 20 council tax
£12-50 off council tax + housing benefit overpayment (initially paid then stopped)
£122 care charges - he has carers 3 times a day
£ 10 water rates
£ 20 Bt phone - he needs this for his carecall alarm service
£ 20 - woman next door who provides him a hot meal every night
£25 off care charges arrears (whilst waiting for assessment)

I pay for his gas/elec £135 per month, and pay for his weekly food shop, and also underwear, PJ's and slippers (he doesnt need outside clothes as he is unable to go out).

He doesnt have a social worker.

pmlindyloo

Your uncle's financial problems have arisen because of giving away half of the savings. This will have been seen as deprivation of capital and his entitlement to benefits would be made on the basis that he still has it.

You can check that the refusal of Pension Credit is correct by putting his details into the benefit calculator on www.turn2us.org.uk (click on Benefits on the banner and you will see the calculator). You will need to put his savings plus the money that was given away.


If he is not entitled to any benefits then he will have to use his present savings to help until he has got below the £16000 limit for HB and Council Tax benefit.


Without knowing what his income is and rent it is difficult to offer detailed advice. It may be that he needs to look at his outgoings and try to reduce them.


If he has to pay for care in the home then his savings will go quite quickly and then he will become entitled to some help with rent and council tax. It may be that he will also have to pay for some aids in the home to help him out of these savings.


It is a difficult situation because it will always be assumed that he has the 'missing' money.

dizzy-di_2

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Your uncle's financial problems have arisen because of giving away half of the savings. This will have been seen as deprivation of capital and his entitlement to benefits would be made on the basis that he still has it.

You can check that the refusal of Pension Credit is correct by putting his details into the benefit calculator on www.turn2us.org.uk (click on Benefits on the banner and you will see the calculator). You will need to put his savings plus the money that was given away.


If he is not entitled to any benefits then he will have to use his present savings to help until he has got below the £16000 limit for HB and Council Tax benefit.


Without knowing what his income is and rent it is difficult to offer detailed advice. It may be that he needs to look at his outgoings and try to reduce them.


If he has to pay for care in the home then his savings will go quite quickly and then he will become entitled to some help with rent and council tax. It may be that he will also have to pay for some aids in the home to help him out of these savings.


It is a difficult situation because it will always be assumed that he has the 'missing' £12000.

Just another thought, where depreciation of capital is concerned, dont you have to do it to intentionally become eligible for benefits? How can a person think they are doing wrong when he recieved help with all of his savings when he first claimed, then to do as his wife wanted, it would stop him being eligible.
Please see above post for income details, so he should be entitled to help with care charges even if they still think he has the £12,000, (£10.000 + £12.000), i think its below £24,000 and you are entitled to some help towards costs.
I am not sure he will allow me to apply again, unless i can do it for him, as i said he is proud and i know he hates claiming anything.
Thank you for all the advice so far, i am just trying to make things easier for him, and to put my mind at rest, if he should ever need to go into a care home. I will continue to pay what i can for him as long as i can, but i am only on a limited income myself.

ab.da54

Is the relative who received the money, after your aunt died, able to help out?

Mara69

dizzy-di wrote: »

I am already helping him financially.

Why? He has £10k and therefore doesn't need financial help.