Sell house give money away to get state care?

Mikedkt

A couple who just got married couldn't afford much only renting tatty bedsit. A rich old relative of the husband getting very old and had big house said move in with me. This aunty had paid off mortgage yrs ago and now house was worth a mint. Anyway she couldn't go up stairs anymore so the couple talked her into selling the house and buying flat somewhere nearby. They also bought 'her' a car and nice furniture with leftover money. He said he got a very small mortgage as well on the new flat don't know how that works as did not need to. Anyway now the old lady is going into a state care home and the couple keep living in the flat, not right surely they can't get away with it?

BigAunty

See the fact sheets on Age UK about deprivation of capital and care home fees. Apparently a local council can look back quite a few years to see if the person applying for means tested care/benefits gave away their capital (money, investments, property). This is an issue for the beneficiary, not the recipient.

Mikedkt

Are you the rich big aunty going into a care home? This couple seem to be getting away with it so far they are keeping her car and flat. No problems from the state only from family members.

pimento

Presumably, the disgruntled family members are only bothered because there's no house for them to inherit, not because the taxpayers will be paying for her care.

Mikedkt

pimento wrote: »

Presumably, the disgruntled family members are only bothered because there's no house for them to inherit, not because the taxpayers will be paying for her care.

Yes and I am one of the disgruntled relatives. We think they should sell the flat but they say then it will all just go on her care, they say this way when she dies there will be something left for family. But she could go on for yrs yet. All the time they are living in her flat. She is not that old or ill just lost her mind and needs care 24/7. The couple said they couldn't look after her anymore she can't even go to toilet on her own.

Traceyg

Hmmm I know of a similar situation, the family sold mothers house and put money in a trust which cannot be touched until mother dies, said mother moved into council flat, mother deteriated over time and needs care in a home, family seemed to have put off putting mother in home. They now say that social will pay fees for care home as money in trust, they think that they are gonna get their hands on the money when she dies, I say social will claw it back for fees due to deprevation of assesets as I cannot see said mother lasting more than 7 years.

Mikedkt

Traceyg wrote: »

Hmmm I know of a similar situation, the family sold mothers house and put money in a trust which cannot be touched until mother dies, said mother moved into council flat, mother deteriated over time and needs care in a home, family seemed to have put off putting mother in home. They now say that social will pay fees for care home as money in trust, they think that they are gonna get their hands on the money when she dies, I say social will claw it back for fees due to deprevation of assesets as I cannot see said mother lasting more than 7 years.

This couple were shared ownership with the aged relative who is now on social care. How can the old girls share of the flat come out now?

Hippychick

Poor old ladies not even dead yet and you're after her money.

Why shouldn't your aunties money go on her own care. It's her money not yours to do with what she likes and she chose to help this couple.

I hope she changed her will and gave anything left to the cats home if this is how her relatives behave.

seven-day-weekend

And why should not HER money be used to look after HER? Why should she only get minimal care when she has the assetts to have 5* care? Her money and assetts are not the family's until she has died, they are hers and should be used for her benefit.

AMO

I agree. I am not sure why disgruntled relatives just want to pounce on her money. She can do what she likes with her assets. And if she should pay for care, then so be it. Other family members just looking after their own interests from an inheritance point of view should really re-assess their morals and values in life.

Mikedkt

Agreed. It is not right she is in a not very nice place at all, if I was in there I would certainly top myself, seriously it would be hell. I have said all along the flat and car should be sold so she can have better care. It's not right anyway to have the taxpayer pay for her care when this couple keep all her money. But what can I do? Is there somewhere I can report how this couple seem to have taken all her wealth so she can qualify for taxpayers to pay for her care?