the council are coming round

novamation

The local council are coming to visit, someone from housing and a social worker.

There are problems in our house, both my parents were hoarders and the house is full of stuff, and the property is in a bad state, and will probably need urgent building work.

My Dad died recently, and although my Mums not been diagnosed with anything, her mental health maybe deteriorating. She owns the house now.

I live in the house too, and though I'm not on benefits I maybe should look at carers allowance.

Is there anything anyone thinks I should be aware of in advance?

edit, I've just remembered, she has private medical insurance, would this be more helpful if she needs assessing?

also, Dad only died a few weeks ago, I've only just started on blasted paperwork, this whole thing is doing my head in

Pollycat

Hi there

Dealing with organisations and paperwork after a death can be very intimidating and distressing.

This link may help:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/DG_10029808

Why are the council coming to visit?
If your Mum owns the house, it's obviously not council property.
I don't think that's a usual thing for them to do (although I may be wrong).
Did you request the visit and if so for what reason?
Have you asked them to come and see about your Mum's health?

I think you have to be caring for someone for at least 35 hours per week to qualify for Carer's Allowance but I think it would be worth investigating what benefits you (and your Mum) may be entitled to.

For example, does your Mum get Pension Credit?

What is included in the private medical insurance? i.e. what does it cover?

retiredlady

I recently came out of hospital after major surgery and I too was visited by someone from the council - a social worker of some sort. Apparently they were notified by the hospital and came to assess the house to see if I needed any help. We own our home and it is not council. I also don't claim benefits although I am on a low income from a small private pension, dont get the government pension as yet. They assessed my needs and fitted a grab rail an the front door, two handrails going up my stairs, grab rails in the bathroom and a step to help me get out of the shower plus a rail fitted to the side of my bed to help me get out easier. I was so grateful and really amazed that they would do this for me. We had considered getting a hand rail up the stairs but just couldn't afford it, so they really have made things easier for me!

novamation

Pollycat wrote: »

Hi there

Dealing with organisations and paperwork after a death can be very intimidating and distressing.

This link may help:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Death/WhatToDoAfterADeath/DG_10029808

Why are the council coming to visit?
If your Mum owns the house, it's obviously not council property.
I don't think that's a usual thing for them to do (although I may be wrong).
Did you request the visit and if so for what reason?
Have you asked them to come and see about your Mum's health?

I think you have to be caring for someone for at least 35 hours per week to qualify for Carer's Allowance but I think it would be worth investigating what benefits you (and your Mum) may be entitled to.

For example, does your Mum get Pension Credit?

What is included in the private medical insurance? i.e. what does it cover?

the council are visiting because the house may need some building work, they've said they don't think it's safe to live there. They're sending a social worker too, I think to assess my mums health.

I didn't ask them to visit, they told me they have to come round.

I don't know what's in her insurance, Dad just died so everything is up in the air.

mostly I'm worried that they will take her into care, i'm just phoning around trying to get legal advice. I'm having trouble getting an appointment to see one legal advice place, because it's the holidays, and they have people off. I'm worried about the council doing this *right now* before Xmas, because I can't get advice, and I'm still dealing with Dads affairs

and to be honest the council first came round about the building work nearly a year ago then didn't get back to us at all till now, why is it so urgent now, and not then

Pollycat

From what you say, I doubt the council social worker would recommend your Mum should be moved into a care home at this up-coming visit - unless they deem the house unsafe to live in (in which case you'll also have a problem with living arrangements).
Do you have any alternative to suggest to them if they do say it's unsafe?
Do you have any relatives that she could stay with?

You say her mental health is deteriorating - how bad is she?
What does her GP say?

We got the local council social worker involved for my Dad somewhere around April this year.
They did a budget for his care and put a number of things into place, including time every day for someone to help him with dressing, showering etc, plus sessions at a day centre twice weekly, plus a 4 hour sitting service once a week to allow Mum some respite.

Around July, we as a family felt that Dad was so bad that Mum was not able to cope anymore and the council social worker and someone from the local community hospital came to assess him at our request.
It was evident that he needed full time care (dementia).

Have you asked the Council why it's taken so long for them to revisit and why it's so urgent now?

Who are you asking for legal advice from?
Have you tried the Citizen's Advice Bureau?

novamation

I don't think we have anywhere else.

I don't think her mental health is too bad, she seems to have some problems with short term memory, she's been in and out of hospital all year, after a fall and a leg infection with renal failure, and they've given her memory tests, but they've not diagnosed anything from it.

I did ask the man housing why it's taken so long, all he did was apologize.

cab is next on my list.

blossomhill_2

Just listen to the advice given and then say you'd like to take advice before signing up to it

Mum's mental health may be declining, or maybe she just isn't coping too well and needs some more support

It may be that having carers popping in for her care would benefit you too, as you could concentrate on the admin side of things and help to get the clutter sorted for both of you, but they would need to be sure that the environment was safe for the carers too

They are unlikely to take her into care, but maybe some respite while you get the house sorted a bit would give you some breathing space.

Actually paying a cleaner to do say an hour every fortnight at perhaps £8-10 an hour may help a lot, as the fact that they are coming can be an encouragement to tidy up a bit first, then you coudl see the wood for the trees

She could also probably do with seeing a GP to see what they think of her, and do a general health check with blood and urine tests to rule out an underlying cause for any confusion
Best of luck to you both