can we avoid care home charges

pollypenny

spaniel_dog wrote: »

Services you mention are paid from the Community Charge not National Insurance two entirely different sources funding I paid the small stamp until the age 40 then switched to full stamp to be told at age 60 had not paid enough in those 20 years to get a state pension, so paid for 20 years for no pension but happy to for the NHS etc
I am not arguing that some should pay and not others, my argument is why should anyone pay for what should be free and let those pay who want the luxury private end, these charges are not historic and like the latest proposed charges for NHS treatment, creep in under the radar, why not use your energy to fight for a better free service

False argument again. Care homes have been means tested for years.

FBaby

I agree with paying for better care in the private sector if thats your choice but that should not be the case all care should be that better quality and only need to pay for the extras.

Have you actually visited homes you don't pay for? I have visited both private and state funded ones as part of my job recently and I was godsmacked at the difference. One was inviting, light, big place, relaxed pleasantly staffed with people seeming happy. The state funded smelled, was dark, small with old furniture. The staff looked exhausted, the people bored... I promised myself that day that my parents had worked hard to get investments and deserve the best for the end of their life, and I work hard and will expect the same. If my kids want the same luxury, they will have to work hard and save for it too. We all had a choice.

Errata

Are there any completely 'state funded' homes left? Even the ones owned by local authorities have a mix of state funded and self funding residents.

Nicki

Errata wrote: »

Are there any completely 'state funded' homes left? Even the ones owned by local authorities have a mix of state funded and self funding residents.

I think though there are homes which will accept state funded residents and ones where the fees are more expensive than the state funded allowance so all the residents are privately funding, which may be what FBaby was getting at.

spaniel_dog

well this as been quite an experience, I joined this site and posted a serious question in the hope I may receive some useful advice and comments around a decision we may need to come to. I hoped to discover the rules around selling home and giving the funds to children now, would the rules allow if requirement for care home came about would the children have to pay for our care from that financial gift.
it was serious question needing informative answer
The reason we need to think along those lines, we realized this house would need adapting to suit physical problems of health issue, we need to consider raising finance to do some building or adaptions so we could remain in our house, or sell move into small ground floor flat giving the children bulk of the funds, either way we may still need care home facilities in the future and if we have sold and given assets away would we have done something illegal
I have been utterly disgusted at some of the comments and insults, could say many back in retaliation but I am used to having sensible discussions not rising to some of these remarks, I do thank Sapphireeye and 74Jax for their very helpful input, to the rest, no I dont expect you to pay for my care although in my 50 working years I must have paid plenty towards yours, yes I do understand what taxes are used for and now I say goodnight from someone who acquired a record many years ago for my protests against the poll tax, marched with the miners, forced our hospital to overturn the plan to make 1000 staff redundant, I say to those who are worried about your pensions and social packages, get out there and change it, my mantra always has been 'if all those who say what can I do did something, something would be done'
dont think I will be using this site again meet nicer people on Facebook and Twitter get advice from google

Errata

Nicki wrote: »

I think though there are homes which will accept state funded residents and ones where the fees are more expensive than the state funded allowance so all the residents are privately funding, which may be what FBaby was getting at.

It could be, although any shortfall in state funding can be paid by relatives/friends/whoever.

Grumpygit

troubleinparadise wrote: »

I don't think that advice was correct.

If your mother's financial assets mean that she would be self-funding, then she would be required to meet the whole care home charge (although there might be an element of Nursing Care funding from NHS depending on her health situation, or CHC funding, again if needs meet the criteria).

The money from the sale of the house, and whatever interest it accrues, would provide for the CH charges; there would be no "state topping it up" (LA payment?) until her funds fell below a certain level (£23,500).

She told us that this is what she has been told by her solicitor.

Of course, whether she heard correctly or not is a different matter. OH was not involved in the discussions or visits due to the distance between them.

mountainofdebt

spaniel_dog wrote: »

well this as been quite an experience, I joined this site and posted a serious question in the hope I may receive some useful advice and comments around a decision we may need to come to. I hoped to discover the rules around selling home and giving the funds to children now, would the rules allow if requirement for care home came about would the children have to pay for our care from that financial gift.
it was serious question needing informative answer
The reason we need to think along those lines, we realized this house would need adapting to suit physical problems of health issue, we need to consider raising finance to do some building or adaptions so we could remain in our house, or sell move into small ground floor flat giving the children bulk of the funds, either way we may still need care home facilities in the future and if we have sold and given assets away would we have done something illegal
I have been utterly disgusted at some of the comments and insults, could say many back in retaliation but I am used to having sensible discussions not rising to some of these remarks, I do thank Sapphireeye and 74Jax for their very helpful input, to the rest, no I dont expect you to pay for my care although in my 50 working years I must have paid plenty towards yours, yes I do understand what taxes are used for and now I say goodnight from someone who acquired a record many years ago for my protests against the poll tax, marched with the miners, forced our hospital to overturn the plan to make 1000 staff redundant, I say to those who are worried about your pensions and social packages, get out there and change it, my mantra always has been 'if all those who say what can I do did something, something would be done'
dont think I will be using this site again meet nicer people on Facebook and Twitter get advice from google

So you didn't quite the response you were hoping for then?

Actually I find it sad when someone states, as you've done, that you've paid into a system and therefore expect some payback .....even though the nature of the system doesn't take into account the amount paid in, but is based on perceived need.

Actually what I find even sadder is that it is expected that the next generation funds your daughters' inheritance.

I take the attitude that my mum needs to live somewhere and that that need has a cost. Now at the moment there is no 'cost' apart from day to day living expenses but should that need change and the 'cost' become more , then I would rather she spent money that she's worked hard for on her than line my pocket.

but as with so many things on here, each to his own

Tiglath

Given that this site is likely a microcosm of our population in general, you can take away with you the experience of learning that what you describe is not acceptable to the majority of people. Your sense of 'entitlement' is astounding - the rest of us live in society and understand that, not a selfish little bubble. Look into equity release and adapt your house then; you've been given short shrift on deprivation of assets and rightly so.

Errata

Grumpygit wrote: »

She told us that this is what she has been told by her solicitor.

Of course, whether she heard correctly or not is a different matter. OH was not involved in the discussions or visits due to the distance between them.

Unfortunately she's either misheard, misunderstood or been misled. There are numerous factsheets on the Age UK website explaining all the ins and outs of POA and being charged and paying for residential care.