elderly aunt

lyndac40

Hi everyone this a follow up and another question about this post. I posted this on the over 50 money saving and was advised to post it here.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4823053

So the time has come and my Aunt has been in a nursing home since the 30th December. We had a meeting with the nursing home and social worker on Friday. She will defiantly staying there and My mum has been told she can now give up my aunt's sheltered housing accommodation.

So to the finance part of my question. Late last year my mum was advised to change the details on my aunt's bank accounts. To make it easier for my mum when she had to deal with my aunt's finance's. My aunt now had over £18 thousand in her bank accounts. My aunt's name is still on her bank accounts my mums name is only on the cards to make it easier for my mum to draw out my aunts money to buy things she needs while in the nursing home. My mum was told to take the money out to pay for my aunt's funeral which was discussed on my other post. So this has now taken the bank account back down to under £14 thousand. My mum has full PoA for my aunt.

My question is will the fact that my mum has her name tied to my aunt's bank account will this have any impact on my mum. Both her and my dad are pensioners and live off pension credits and DLA for my dad. Would the dwp or who ever deals with people of pension age see my mum as having this £18 thousand in her name because this would then take them over the threshold for them claiming any benefits.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Lynda xxx

rogerblack

lyndac40 wrote: »

My question is will the fact that my mum has her name tied to my aunt's bank account will this have any impact on my mum.

In short - benefits are means tested on money that is yours by right to use.
If, for example, your mum was to take out the money and blow it on the dogs, she would rightly face prosecution for abusing her power of attorney.
The money is not hers - it does not have an effect on here benefits entitlement.
(May it be found in spot checks - and she need to explain herself - yes - however with the POA this should be really simple)

Morglin

No, I have LPA, over my dad, but the money is not mine, and wouldn't be classed as such.

Just keep the certificate you got from the COP handy, in case they wish to see it.

Lin

Mojisola

lyndac40 wrote: »

So to the finance part of my question. Late last year my mum was advised to change the details on my aunt's bank accounts. To make it easier for my mum when she had to deal with my aunt's finance's. My aunt now had over £18 thousand in her bank accounts. My aunt's name is still on her bank accounts my mums name is only on the cards to make it easier for my mum to draw out my aunts money to buy things she needs while in the nursing home. My mum was told to take the money out to pay for my aunt's funeral which was discussed on my other post. So this has now taken the bank account back down to under £14 thousand.

My mum has full PoA for my aunt.

Where is this money now? Has it been used to pre-pay for a funeral or is in your mother's account?

lyndac40

HI Roger and Mojisola

Thanks for your answers,

My mum has an appointment at the funeral directors on friday to pre pay for my aunt's funeral. She has the cash taken form my aunt's account so is going to pay with that.

Lynda xxx

Mojisola

lyndac40 wrote: »

My mum has an appointment at the funeral directors on friday to pre pay for my aunt's funeral. She has the cash taken form my aunt's account so is going to pay with that.

Make sure she keeps a clear paper trail because when an attorney starts transferring money into their own account, it can raise questions.

It's better to pay bills directly from the donor's accounts.

lyndac40

Mojisola wrote: »

Make sure she keeps a clear paper trail because when an attorney starts transferring money into their own account, it can raise questions.

It's better to pay bills directly from the donor's accounts.

Yes i am sure she will get a receipt for the pre paid funeral.

Lynda xxx

Mojisola

lyndac40 wrote: »

Yes i am sure she will get a receipt for the pre paid funeral.

As long as she's got the original bank transfer showing somewhere, the invoice for the funeral and shows what happens to any difference in the money.

When you're a POA, you have to think of financial matters in a professional way in order to protect yourself. If your stewardship of the donor's money is called into question, it makes life much easier if everything is clearly documented. You might know that you've always dealt fairly with the money but you also have to be able to prove it.

lyndac40

HI Majisola,

Yes i made sure my mum got a receipt from the bank yesterday when she took the cash out. I will make sure she keeps both receipts together.

My mum is now ruing the day she took this on as you say everthing she does is called into question.

Lynda xxx

Mojisola

lyndac40 wrote: »

My mum is now ruing the day she took this on as you say everthing she does is called into question.

It's one of the problems of being a POA or an executor - just goes with the "job".

lyndac40

Mojisola wrote: »

It's one of the problems of being a POA or an executor - just goes with the "job".

Hi Mojisola,

Yes that's very true. Hopefully my mum is coming to the end of this for the time being.

I just have few more question. Before my aunt went into the nursing home she was in hospital for 6 months. Her utility bills and council tax were still being paid out of her bank account. My mum has handed in notice to the sheltered housing to let them know my aunt is giving up the tenancy. We will need to do readings of electricity on our last day when we empty the flat.

My aunt will have an over payment on her electricity as there has been no electricity been used since July last year. How does my mum go about doing this will they need to see PoA, also should my mum get all my aunt's mail diverted to her address. What about her private pension and the pension from her late husband does my mum have to deal with them as well??

thanks again for all your help so far

Lynda xxx