Father going into care home - how much pension will mother receive?

drella

My 83yr old father is going into a care home, currently in hospital and strokes/dementia means he needs care that he can't have at home.  Father and mother on pension credit savings under £23k.  Both receive AA. Will all of my father's pension be used to pay for his care? If so this leaves my mother with about £90 a week (plus AA).

Brie

You'll need to discuss with the local authority about what they will fund.  presumably mom is still fit enough to continue at home on her own so that expense will need to be taken into account.  So rent will still need to be paid, council tax, electric, gas, water, food - so she can start by putting together what her budget is and what might be left over out of all their combined money.  Our LA  sent us a form to fill out for MiL which outlined precisely what they needed to know about but any standard budget template would be a good way to get the info organised.  The statement of accounts on the debt forum board shows everything in detail.

Brie

Sorry meant to add - I believe there's a sliding scale for savings that goes from £16k (no contribution) to £23k (some contribution) so that mom won't be left without any savings at all.

elsien

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs10_paying_for_permanent_residential_care_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

His attendance allowance will stop if he’s not self funding. Half of his pension should be disregarded and would stay with her. She may then be entitled to additional benefits in her own right. 

Is he entitled to any health funding? Full health funding is very hard to get. Any nursing top up would go directly to the care home and wouldn’t make any difference to what he needs to pay. 

elsien

You might also want to post this on the benefit board because I have a feeling, although I’m not 100% sure, that once he goes into the care home they would claim pension credit as individuals, not as a couple any more. 

Keep_pedalling

elsien said:

You might also want to post this on the benefit board because I have a feeling, although I’m not 100% sure, that once he goes into the care home they would claim pension credit as individuals, not as a couple any more. 

That is correct as they will no longer be living together she will be able to claim PC as an individual. His AA will cease as he is not self funding.  

drella

thank you so much for your advice, it's much appreciated and I'll go onto the benefits board, but this will put my mums mind at rest. 

Pollycat

elsien said:

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs10_paying_for_permanent_residential_care_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

His attendance allowance will stop if he’s not self funding. Half of his pension should be disregarded and would stay with her. She may then be entitled to additional benefits in her own right. 

Is he entitled to any health funding? Full health funding is very hard to get. Any nursing top up would go directly to the care home and wouldn’t make any difference to what he needs to pay. 

elsien said:

You might also want to post this on the benefit board because I have a feeling, although I’m not 100% sure, that once he goes into the care home they would claim pension credit as individuals, not as a couple any more. 

It's quite a while ago but when my Dad went into a care home, we decided that Mum shouldn't claim half his pension as without it she would qualify for pension credit and with the extra benefits that brings, she was much better off financially.