Using mums money

Flakie

MIL is in a care home self funding as she has assets of over £130000. FIL died March 2020. They were tenants in common and
so when the house was sold dads half went into trust for the three children. Family wants to put dad to rest in a local cemetery and when mum in law passes she will go there too. Costs will be about £1000 - £1500. Can the family use some of mums money to pay for this or might this be looked on as deprivation of assets when she runs her money down and is reassessed? What might be the implications at that point? 

poppy12345

There is no definition as such as deprivation of capital but i'm sure that spending a maximum of £1,500 isn't going to affect anything. Just because she has savings, it doesn't mean you can't spend them.

Flakie

Thanks Poppy. Up to now we haven’t spent anything of her money and have been providing her with all she needs out of our own pockets. There is no guidance that I can find to say what we can realistically use it for. As you say it’s not a huge amount but as she will ‘indirectly’ benefit from it at some stage it seems fair for her to pay. 👍😀

poppy12345

You shouldn't be afraid of spending her money on things, it's part of life. As long as you don't buy the most expensive things it will be fine.

perfect10

No we were in exactly same situation and paid for my dads funeral with my mums money, her money is now below the threshold and she is being funded by social care, think they only wanted 6 months bank statements.

Flakie

Thank you everyone. We have also been told that when she runs out of money and we have her reassessed, if she gets LA funding she is entitled to £14250 
personal savings so we are told if the authority query it they can always take the money out of that. But as you say it’s not a massive amount so it will be fine I’m sure. 

perfect10

Flakie said:

Thank you everyone. We have also been told that when she runs out of money and we have her reassessed, if she gets LA funding she is entitled to £14250 
personal savings so we are told if the authority query it they can always take the money out of that. But as you say it’s not a massive amount so it will be fine I’m sure. 

She will become eligible for LA funding when her savings reach about £23,250 and I would advise you start the process when her savings reach £30,000 as it can take months. It took 5 months with my mum but was then backdated to when her bank had balance reached the £23,500 threshold, she was then owed £4,000 back pay!

Keep all receipts for everything including the funeral, although they are unlikely to request this it is better to be prepared.