Benefits help for mother caring for terminally ill father?

stuntnuts

Hello, hopefully somebody out there can advise us about our situation.

My mother is caring for my terminally ill father and we are in desperate need of advice about any possible benefit claim.

My father, who runs a Limited company, is now bed ridden with a brain tumour and only has months left to live. We are in the process of wrapping up his company which should be completed by the end of March. There is zero money in the business account as he has been unable to work since November 2010.

They own a property which is there main residence, this still has a £250,000 mortgage, we have been paying from savings the interest only but have now requested a mortgage holiday as we no longer have anymore funds, they also own a second property with a value of £70,000 which is mortgage free. We are in the process of putting the second property on the market. (It's not feasible to move them to the smaller, mortgage-free property due to our father's care requirements. He also wants to die at 'home', the main residence.)

My mother is caring full time for my father and they are currently receiving disability living allowance (£120 per week) and carers allowance (£50 per week). We have been in touch with the benefit office and have now received back several forms but I was wondering if someone could advise here on what they may actually be entitled to. The major concern is the second property and how that affects any possible benefit claim, obviously we can’t just convert that asset into physical cash and just making ends meet and keeping the wolf from the door is a real concern.

If anyone can help advise me as the stress is taking its toll on my poor mother.

Many thanks.

Oldernotwiser

Your father should also be claiming ESA, assuming he has paid the appropriate contributions.

issy18

Macmillan Cancer Support are excellent in providing advice regarding entitlement to benefits. We used them when we where in a similar position and it was invaluable. As you say assests are not easily converted to cash and when time is short it just adds to an already awful situation.

Hope you find some way forward x

Oldernotwiser

If you were to auction the other property, you would have access to the funds very quickly.

bertiebat

If he was an employee of his own limited company, then he might have paid sufficient NI contributions in the previous 2 years to allow him to claim ESA. Because of his terminal diagnosis, he would be fast tracked into the support group.

DLA, carers allowance and contributions based ESA aren't means tested, so any assets wouldn't affect these benefits.

Are there any insurance/critical illness policies that might be relevant in terms of mortgage payments? I know I have to have life insurance while I still have a mortgage (though mine is linked to a endowment policy).

As another poster says, I'd recommend contacting Macmillan for further advice.

This link has some further information on that:
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/HowWeCanHelp/FinancialSupport/FinancialSupport.aspx

Hopefully some of these things will ease the stress out of the current situation.

stuntnuts

Thanks for your replies everyone. There's certainly a few ideas to pursue there.

I'm fairly certain he's been on top of the NI payments, so there's some hope there.

There is a life insurance policy linked to the mortgage, but it will only pay out upon death (we've checked).