Care Home Costs

xylophone

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78521537/#Comment_78521537

billy2shots

I understand that your mum's share of the home would automatically pass to you on death but....


Surely the bills are from when she was alive meaning she owned half the house at that point. 

I'm sure you may be ok and not have to pay from a legal point of view but from a moral perspective? Who misses out, the poor care home after 18 months of hell (covid) for the care sector. 

Mojisola

Bobbydue said:

She paid her own fees in full!

If there is an outstanding bill, she obviously didn't.

If the care home didn't make some kind of loan arrangement, it may be they won't be able to claim the money but, morally, it is a debt (as long as they can justify the bill to you).

elsien

Is the bill fees for the period leading up to her death? In which case she would have had the pension coming in which would normally cover it, so what has happened to that money? 

Or is it for other services?
Quite honestly, if mum had the service I don’t see why you wouldn’t pay it?

Unless it’s one of the places that try to charge notice after someone has died, when you might have a bit more of a quibble 

Keep_pedalling

Bobbydue said:

Mojisola said:

Bobbydue said:

Mojisola said:

Your mother owned half the property so half the value of the sale was hers.  She did have assets when she died.

No, under joint tenants it automatically transfers to survivor and is not part of her estate

Was the property disregarded for payment of care fees or was there a deferred payment scheme to be repaid when the house was sold?

She paid her own fees in full!

What I don’t understand is how someone can fully fund care fees from income and leave nothing in their estate. She must have had income in the region of £4000 a month to do that but somehow had zero savings. 

As for the house, creditors can pursue the debts from jointly owned property but that would require legal action so it is unlikely unless the debts are substantial.

Spendless

Keep_pedalling said:

Bobbydue said:

Mojisola said:

Bobbydue said:

Mojisola said:

Your mother owned half the property so half the value of the sale was hers.  She did have assets when she died.

No, under joint tenants it automatically transfers to survivor and is not part of her estate

Was the property disregarded for payment of care fees or was there a deferred payment scheme to be repaid when the house was sold?

She paid her own fees in full!

What I don’t understand is how someone can fully fund care fees from income and leave nothing in their estate. She must have had income in the region of £4000 a month to do that but somehow had zero savings. 

No, not necessarily. Care home fees like house prices and average wages vary round the country. I made this point recently when it was queried how long my Nan's savings would last. We live in a cheap part of the country. The fees for my Nan's home are approx £530 per week, so around half what you mention.

So, she'd still need roughly £2K a month but that could come from a combination of pensions and savings. Put it like this my Mum only got £70K for my Nan's flat but she's been in the care home for 6.5 years and has only recently gone to the point where the council starts to contribute. The money has eeked out for that long. 

maman

While understanding your point about varying costs nationwide @Spendless, it doesn't explain why OP's late mother didn't have any estate such as a bank account, savings account, Premium Bonds, personal effects or any other assets. 

Spendless

maman said:

While understanding your point about varying costs nationwide @Spendless, it doesn't explain why OP's late mother didn't have any estate such as a bank account, savings account, Premium Bonds, personal effects or any other assets. 

Where does it say that? I've read twice but must have missed it. 

elsien

First post says “ And as far as I'm aware my mum had no estate ”.  

Which we are taking to mean no other assets, because if the estate had other assets the OP wouldn’t be trying to avoid paying the outstanding sum from the house sale. 

Bobbydue

Please for the purpose of the question assume she had no assets.

Would other family members be liable?