Carers costs

Sarah69

Hi, 

I hope this is the right place to post this.  My dad is currently in a mobility rehab place after losing all his mobility due to being extremely unwell in hospital over Xmas. He is going to need to have 2 carers 4 times a day. My mum has been told that they are paid by taking all my dad’s pension etc to pay for it is this correct? She is now worried about bills etc as they will only have her money for this sort of thing. Will they expect him to sell his car to pay towards care as well. Any advice welcome.

Savvy_Sue

If this is arranged by the local authority, they will do a financial assessment of your Dad's income and assets. Who told her 'they' would take 'all' of his pension? And who is this 'they' who will do this?

Is he already in receipt of Attendance Allowance? 

How old are Mum and Dad? What is Mum's income?

Sarah69

Savvy_Sue said:

If this is arranged by the local authority, they will do a financial assessment of your Dad's income and assets. Who told her 'they' would take 'all' of his pension? And who is this 'they' who will do this?

Is he already in receipt of Attendance Allowance? 

How old are Mum and Dad? What is Mum's income?

Thanks for replying. It it local authority. They are both 79 this year, my mums only income is state pension and attendance allowance. My dad has state pension, attendance allowance and maybe a small private pension. They don’t have any assets, they don’t own their own house. She was told by local authority and a friend who is in similar circumstances (but own their on home and one of them works part time) that all his pension etc would be taken. 

Keep_pedalling

The financial assessment takes in to account the financial needs of a dependant spouse so from what you have said regarding your mother’s income, they won’t be taking all his pension income. 

Do you have power of attorney for both your parents? If you don’t, that is something you should try to get them to agree too ASAP. 

p00hsticks

Even if your father was going into a care home they wouldn't take all his pension towards the costs (from  my experience they leave your with (I think) £25 a week to spend on things not covered such as haircuts, etc). 

Given that he will still be living at home and will therefore still be having to pay for rent, utilities, food tc I woudl iamgine they'd leave him quite a bit for essentials. 

Savvy_Sue

Sarah69 said:

Savvy_Sue said:

If this is arranged by the local authority, they will do a financial assessment of your Dad's income and assets. Who told her 'they' would take 'all' of his pension? And who is this 'they' who will do this?

Is he already in receipt of Attendance Allowance? 

How old are Mum and Dad? What is Mum's income?

Thanks for replying. It it local authority. They are both 79 this year, my mums only income is state pension and attendance allowance. My dad has state pension, attendance allowance and maybe a small private pension. They don’t have any assets, they don’t own their own house. She was told by local authority and a friend who is in similar circumstances (but own their on home and one of them works part time) that all his pension etc would be taken. 

Their friend is in a very different financial position to your parents, especially with one of them still working. Also if those friends are younger, the position can be different. 

You can get some general advice from Age UK: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/financial-assessment/ takes you to some useful links. https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/paying-for-homecare/ will show you what the capital limits are. 

elsien

She has either been misinformed or has misunderstood. As per SavvySue’s link? There is a means-tested financial assessment, his whole pension is not going to vanish and there is no chance that he would be expected to sell his car to fund anything. 

The financial assessment comes later, after the care act assessment to assess his needs. it might be worth someone being with your mum and dad, firstly when the assessment is done so that Mum doesn’t underplay how much help she might need and then also filling in the forms later for the finances. 

Savvy_Sue

About the car though, does mum drive? This is probably not the time to raise it - but will dad be fit to drive it after rehab? Who else is on the insurance, does someone else need to be main driver?

It's a difficult conversation, but FiL's car sat in the garage for several years after his licence wasn't renewed before it was sold, mind you he didn't remember he couldn't drive and was always offering lifts to MiL. The keys weren't available to him, before anyone wonders.

Sarah69

Savvy_Sue said:

About the car though, does mum drive? This is probably not the time to raise it - but will dad be fit to drive it after rehab? Who else is on the insurance, does someone else need to be main driver?

It's a difficult conversation, but FiL's car sat in the garage for several years after his licence wasn't renewed before it was sold, mind you he didn't remember he couldn't drive and was always offering lifts to MiL. The keys weren't available to him, before anyone wonders.

I drive the car, my mum can’t drive.  My dad had a stroke at the beginning of last year and gave up his licence. The car is still in his name, although I’m the only/main driver.  I hope they don’t think of that as an asset! 

elsien

Not unless he's running a fleet of Rolls Royces. 
The financial assessment policy should be on your local authority website. It varies between councils but the basics remain the same.
You can find online calculators which will give a rough idea of what he may be expected to pay but your parents have to be left with a minimum income amount. Have a play with this one - it won't be fully accurate but will give some idea of what they will be asked about.
What type of care do you need?

Cyclamen

Hi There I have council funded social care at home. 

There is a financial assessment and most of us are expected to contribute something towards the costs. They do take pensions into account as income along with disability benefits (ESA, AA, PIP, DLA) they do not count wages. 

Your Dad should have financial calcutalions done as single (his income only) but also a s a couple if benefits parents more.  If being done as single they have to ensure Mum has enough money too although the amounts they think are reasonable for our spouses is infuriating.   I have greater income than my partner so get a disregard to top his up.  Its alien to me thinking my income/his income.

Once the council start a financial assemnet you can ask for Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) to be taken into account.  This is any financial cost your Father has that a healthy peer on a low income would not.  The council will have some fixed ideas on amounts but by providing reciepts they should take actual costs into account.  This can be a battle.

I've just got my new 'care contribution' letter through ready for Aprils benefit rises (which council take) and am back to having to pay just under £150 p/w , bare in mind we recieve income related benefits as the government thinsk we need more to live -on  i find this frustrating.  The DRE's will help lower this.