Can my dad buy my sister a new kitchen without implications

amandathepanda

My sister is on benefits and has moved in to a house that has a very basic kitchen that must have been in for about 30 years , it was an elderly couple who have obviously never done anything to the house. My dad has offered to buy her a new kitchen but she needs to know does that have any implications for either of them as she is on benefits and he is 81, for example would it be classed as getting rid of his assets if he had in the future to go in to a home x

POPPYOSCAR

Sorry OP I do not know the answer.


But what is the world coming to when someone has to worry about how they spend their own money doing something nice and to help out their own daughter.

masonic

Is your dad currently healthy? If so, it shouldn't be a problem. It is a perfectly reasonable thing for him to do, for which there is a justifiable need.

bigfreddiel

What does the landlord think - I presume your sister is renting? I may be wrong tho'. I hope I am. fj

le_loup

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

But what is the world coming to when someone has to worry about how they spend their own money doing something nice and to help out their own daughter.

I would agree, provided you pay for the care home, should the father need one.
However, if you want the rest of us to pay for it when the father had money that he gave away, I don't think many would agree with you.
I may be wrong.

N1AK

amandathepanda wrote: »

My sister is on benefits and has moved in to a house that has a very basic kitchen that must have been in for about 30 years , it was an elderly couple who have obviously never done anything to the house. My dad has offered to buy her a new kitchen but she needs to know does that have any implications for either of them as she is on benefits and he is 81, for example would it be classed as getting rid of his assets if he had in the future to go in to a home x

It depends on the exact circumstances but if the value of the kitchen was reasonable, he had considerable remaining assets, and there was no reason he anticipated needing the money he'll be fine. Your sister will be fine, worst case is that if your father passes away soon afterwards it would count towards the value of his estate, but if he is wealthy enough that inheritance tax was an issue then I doubt the small amount of additional IHT would be an issue.

masonic

le_loup wrote: »

I would agree, provided you pay for the care home, should the father need one.
However, if you want the rest of us to pay for it when the father had money that he gave away, I don't think many would agree with you.
I may be wrong.

If one adheres to the principle that our money is only ever ours to do with as we please after we have spent what is necessary to provide for our own basic needs, the injustice seems to evaporate.

jimjames

bigfreddiel wrote: »

What does the landlord think - I presume your sister is renting? I may be wrong tho'. I hope I am. fj

That's a good point. I'm not sure why you'd want to put that sort of money into a rented place when kitchen is something I'd expect landlord to do

POPPYOSCAR

le_loup wrote: »

I would agree, provided you pay for the care home, should the father need one.
However, if you want the rest of us to pay for it when the father had money that he gave away, I don't think many would agree with you.
I may be wrong.

Yes I am quite happy for my taxes to pay for care in old age.


This is the same old argument.


If he had spent this money during his lifetime on drink, cigarettes wild women etc.or even just a nice holiday each year and not saved it how is that fair?

acs901

Are you happy for state benefits to pay for a new kitchen? which is what this amounts to.

antrobus

masonic wrote: »

Is your dad currently healthy? If so, it shouldn't be a problem. It is a perfectly reasonable thing for him to do, for which there is a justifiable need.

I am inclined to agree.

Besides, even if dad did sometime go into home and be obliged to rely on LA funding, it would be bl00dy difficult for the LA to track what exactly has been purchased with that £3,000 payment to B&Q. Harder still if dad withdraws and hands over the folding stuff.

Just sayin.:)