Help for bereaved Uncle - Please...

Whiteknight

darlyd wrote: »

Have you tried to claim for DLA?

Is already getting Attendance Allowance and I hope that his stay in hospital for six weeks was reported!

SandraScarlett

Personally, I have found it far more helpful if you ask Social Services if they can make a Home Visit, as it's far easier to explain things face to face, than on the phone.

Also, you can say that your Uncle can't get out, and that you'll be there with him, to help with the discussion, and then you can "translate" and explain things he doesn't understand.

I think your post highlights how important it is to make a Will. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many people say "it's what she wanted", the law sees your Aunt's money as belonging to her husband, and that he has given it away.

I'm a bit confused. Was this £12,000 that was given to a family member, the money that was withdrawn at £300 a day? I can't understand that bit. Definitely he is paying far too much for care costs. We were told that my DH qualified for help if he had less than £23,500, or if it was a joint account, that we had combined less than £47000.

The help given is on a sliding scale, depending on your savings, but it's best for your Uncle to use his savings to pay his gas and electric, and buy his pyjamas, cos there are no pockets in a shroud!

xx

dizzy-di_2

xylophone wrote: »

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/claiming-benefits/pension-credit/
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/paying-for-permanent-residential-care/

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/deprivation-of-assets-in-the-means-test-for-care-home-provision/

Thanks so much very helpful.

dizzy-di_2

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Is suspect that his income is over the threshold for PC.

When the OP posted first of all she said that her GF was receiving state pension and a small private pension.

Now, a couple of years later she is saying that he receives State pension, small private pension and industrial injuries (benefit I presume)

Without knowing the figures it is difficult to speculate. That is why I suggested that she put his figures into the turn2us calculator to check.

Certainly his savings (even accounting for the money given away) wouldn't make him ineligible for Pension Credit (and a passport to HB and CTB.)

But if he is not eligible for PC then his savings do, at the moment, make him ineligible for HB and CTB.

I am sure the Welfare and Benefits advisor will be able to help.

I wonder if he is on lower/higher AA?

Thanks .... I have done the benefits calc, and it comes out at £8.50 PC savings, no gtee part, he should only pay £3.05 council tax and £8.00 rent per week. But that is not with them believing he still has extra cash.

The errors quoted, in what his income was, is because we were going through a very upsetting time, its very hard when you are doing this on your own, trying to get everything sorted for him, and reassure him all is fine, i dont want him worrying about it.
Yes he is on higher rate AA.
I have learnt so much form you all, i am going to sit down and collate all his paperwork and make some phonecalls, age uk look like they will be very helpful too.

dizzy-di_2

princessdon wrote: »

They said their income was £275 pw - so I assume this is too high for PC.

The problem (from their SOA) appears to the high care fees. I would think that Social Services *may* be able to help with this - but they'll no doubt do their own financial assessment. From my dealings with my GM I think it is approx £25K in savings that is their limit.

I agree that the income is too high for PC (but don't know if that is due to none countable income - Ie AA and others?). Makes sense that is why they said no.

The savings will be too high for "income related" HB - But again it depends on when they last applied and how much notional capital they removed. It could be that enough time has passed, as they are under the £16K now.

I'd personally be asking re the care fees - because if they can pay those then they will have a reasonable amount to live on.

But I know very little of this area and I agree someone more specialist should be able to help.

Yes i am going to look into it all, if it was my claim i would not be at all worried, but my uncle as i have said is very proud and stubborn, and if questioned he will just tell them to forget it - i know he will. I will try to do it all on his behalf, with his authority of course, but otherwise keep him well out of it.
I am not trying to get him on every benefit so he pays nothing, i just want him to get what he is entitled to, and dont want him to miss out just because i dont know how to sort it out for him.

cte1111

NB - his BT bill shouldn't be £20 a week. My Dad had Care Call and we didn't have to get an expensive package. In fact, his bill was less than this for all inclusive calls and broadband. One way to save a few quid would be to review his package and switch it to a cheaper one.

dizzy-di_2

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Personally, I have found it far more helpful if you ask Social Services if they can make a Home Visit, as it's far easier to explain things face to face, than on the phone.

Also, you can say that your Uncle can't get out, and that you'll be there with him, to help with the discussion, and then you can "translate" and explain things he doesn't understand.

I think your post highlights how important it is to make a Will. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how many people say "it's what she wanted", the law sees your Aunt's money as belonging to her husband, and that he has given it away.

I'm a bit confused. Was this £12,000 that was given to a family member, the money that was withdrawn at £300 a day? I can't understand that bit. Definitely he is paying far too much for care costs. We were told that my DH qualified for help if he had less than £23,500, or if it was a joint account, that we had combined less than £47000.

The help given is on a sliding scale, depending on your savings, but it's best for your Uncle to use his savings to pay his gas and electric, and buy his pyjamas, cos there are no pockets in a shroud!

xx

Thanks for your advice.... yes that was the only way to withdraw money at the time, we were able to do a transfere of £8000 to this person aunt wanted to have money, as that was in aunts own account, but she wanted them to have her half of total savings - so the rest i did at £300 per day, not everyday but over regular periods, until it was paid £4000. The bank did me a cheque for the funeral, they were very good and helped me with lots of paperwork. Some of the £300 were used to pay for the stairlift and chair, it was the way i could collect his money for him.

My uncle was very happy for this person to receive this money, as he was doing what my aunt wanted, he didnt realise she should have done a will to make it formal. Nor did he or i think he would qualify for benefits after doing so, we just didnt really know.

I think he has realised now, that all those years of saving hard, and not doing things they should have done, were pointless, so he is not as afraid of spending now, if he needs something he will let me get it - having said that he is sleeping on a bed he has had for 35 years, thats well past its best.

dizzy-di_2

dizzy-di wrote: »

Thanks for your advice.... yes that was the only way to withdraw money at the time, we were able to do a transfere of £8000 to this person aunt wanted to have money, as that was in aunts own account, but she wanted them to have her half of total savings - so the rest i did at £300 per day, not everyday but over regular periods, until it was paid £4000. The bank did me a cheque for the funeral, they were very good and helped me with lots of paperwork. Some of the £300 were used to pay for the stairlift and chair, it was the way i could collect his money for him.

My uncle was very happy for this person to receive this money, as he was doing what my aunt wanted, he didnt realise she should have done a will to make it formal.

I think he has realised now, that all those years of saving hard, and not doing things they should have done, were pointless, so he is not as afraid of spending now, if he needs something he will let me get it - having said that he is sleeping on a bed he has had for 35 years, thats well past its best.

Couldnt possibly do a home visit, he is too poorly to be bothered with visitors at the moment, and as i have said he honestly thinks these people should believe him straight away, simply because its the truth.... i cant get him to understand how it works. I know he would just get grumpy and tell them to leave it, and forget all about it, so no a home visit is not an option, it will need to be dealt with by myself.

dizzy-di_2

cte1111 wrote: »

NB - his BT bill shouldn't be £20 a week. My Dad had Care Call and we didn't have to get an expensive package. In fact, his bill was less than this for all inclusive calls and broadband. One way to save a few quid would be to review his package and switch it to a cheaper one.

I have already done this and his standing charges and vat are usually more than the calls, he is on unlimited, eve and weekend, but does ring his sister every day, she is 99, he forgets to ring after 6pm.

Do you know i think i have got that wrong its £10 per week not £20, see i am getting muddled up now.

Thanks for the advice.

Torry_Quine

dizzy-di wrote: »

Thanks for your advice.... yes that was the only way to withdraw money at the time, we were able to do a transfere of £8000 to this person aunt wanted to have money, as that was in aunts own account, but she wanted them to have her half of total savings - so the rest i did at £300 per day, not everyday but over regular periods, until it was paid £4000. The bank did me a cheque for the funeral, they were very good and helped me with lots of paperwork. Some of the £300 were used to pay for the stairlift and chair, it was the way i could collect his money for him.

My uncle was very happy for this person to receive this money, as he was doing what my aunt wanted, he didnt realise she should have done a will to make it formal. Nor did he or i think he would qualify for benefits after doing so, we just didnt really know.

I think he has realised now, that all those years of saving hard, and not doing things they should have done, were pointless, so he is not as afraid of spending now, if he needs something he will let me get it - having said that he is sleeping on a bed he has had for 35 years, thats well past its best.

If I've missed it I apologise but do you have power of attorney for your uncle. I'm also concerned that you talk of transferring money to the other person as without poa that would be wrong.