Care home fees, money running out.

jjj77

I'm just reposting my problem in this section, just to see if I can get some opinions/advice. Cheers

Hi guys, this is my first post, so please be gentle with me!
Oh, I hope I've posted in the right place also!

My mother-in-law has been in a care home for the last 5 years due to her having a quite severe double stroke. When she first had the stroke my wife and I decided that we would sell our family home and also my mother-in-laws home to buy a bigger house that would be able to accommodate us all, the idea was to get carers in to look after her rather than putting her in to a care home.

We managed to sell both houses and split the cost of the new house 50/50 approx 100k each, we did a lot of work to the house so we could accommodate her, after a while her condition deteriated and my wife couldn't cope with looking after her in the state she was in, so she had to go into a local care home.

When she started at the care home she had approx 50-60k savings, which now have all gone, we are about to get in contact with the local council regarding how we move forward with her fees.

There are a couple of things I'm unsure of.....

1. When we bought the new house, the solicicitors that represented my mother-in-law insisted that she be put on our mortgage, not sure why this was, but would this have any baring on how much money she has in the house?

2. Are we able to split the cost of work we have had done on the property, ie. conversions for wheel chair access, new windows throughout the house with her as to reduce the amount of money she has in the house?

3. Lastly, as she has spent pretty much all her money on fees, will we be allowed to take her personal allowance from the money she has in the house?


I know it's all a bit long winded, but my wife and I are in real danger of major financial difficulties if my mother-in-law stays in the same state.

Any advice would be very welcome.

Jase

jaybeetoo

As your mother-in-law owns part of your house (and a share of the outstanding mortgage) you need to get some independent advice. Try your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau. Don't ask the Council for advice - in my experience they will push you into doing something that benefits them and not you.

SEE

jaybeetoo wrote: »

Don't ask the Council for advice - in my experience they will push you into doing something that benefits them and not you.

Tragic, but true. We live in a vile society where only money counts.

Newly_retired

AgeUK may be a good source of info on this one.

bestofdevon

are you sure your mother in law isn't entitled to health funding - worth challenging - good source of info is:

caretobedifferent.co.uk

jjj77

Yeah, I think we will get some advice from CA rather than the council.
We did apply for the continuing health care before the deadline in September but they still haven't assessed her yet.

We thought the announcement about capping costs, which was in today's budget was the help we needed, but unfortunatly it doesn't start until 2016, just when her money will run out!

I've certainly changed the way I think about money and savings since this all happened, the poor woman worked all her life and never once claimed a penny, but because she saved very wisely for her kids and grand kids, she's been severely punished.
All seems so bloody wrong.

teajug

SEE wrote: »

Tragic, but true. We live in a vile society where only money counts.

True and these people that are supposed to be looking after the vulnerable are the very one that could not care less and out to get all they can from disabled and staying in their lucrative jobs and this runs across most of the councils.

mysterywoman10

jjj77 wrote: »

Yeah, I think we will get some advice from CA rather than the council.
We did apply for the continuing health care before the deadline in September but they still haven't assessed her yet.

We thought the announcement about capping costs, which was in today's budget was the help we needed, but unfortunatly it doesn't start until 2016, just when her money will run out!

I've certainly changed the way I think about money and savings since this all happened, the poor woman worked all her life and never once claimed a penny, but because she saved very wisely for her kids and grand kids, she's been severely punished.
All seems so bloody wrong.

So you have applied for retrospective CHC? That might have been payable during the time she has paid her fees? An assessment of need for CHC should be done more quickly than that if she has the need now, it may be better to go this route rather than the retrospective one.

Has her condition changed? Is it fluctuating? Are they not even meeting the Nursing Element of the care fees?

Have you been through the checklist to see if this should trigger an immediate assessment?

You can download it here :

http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/practicalsupport/Pages/NHSContinuingCare.aspx

If it does look as though it should trigger an assessment you can then look in more detail

at the continuing care decision support tool document

cte1111

Does your MIL receive Attendance Allowance? It sounds like you she might well be entitled to the higher rate, which would go at least a small way towards funding her care.