How to pay for care?

I wasn't making a generalisation, anno. I was giving a specific example, not implying that all people who can't afford to pay for their care are shiftless skivers! I don't think my post warranted such criticism.

Sorry, disagree for each according to their needs regardless when it comes to old age!

I agree with Ana

Richer people have paid more in taxes and NI so they are more entitled to free and better care than poorer people.

I remember it well . Sutton park. Went to the international scout jamboree there when I was abou 12. Used to walk round it! Always wanted to live in Roman Road.

jeni

I live in Sutton Coldfield.

Ana, you can't make generalisations like that about people who can't afford to pay for their care. There are many reasons for people being without resources - or, to put it bluntly, being poor - and gambling and taking holidays are rarely among them, no matter what certain tabloids would have you believe. And no, I'm not trying to start another 'newspaper war' on Gransnet. There are many people who have spent their working lives in low-paid but necessary work - carers, cleaners, local council manual workers to name but a few. Where would we be without their services? They probably don't own their own properties, may even have lived in subsidised social housing all their lives; may have struggled to bring up their families on a shoestring. I don't begrudge my taxes being spent on their care, better that than on Trident missiles.

hunterf I came from near Brum. Went to uni there as well. Where are you?

Why should those who don't own a house expect tax payers to fund their care in old age? They may have spent their entire earnings throughout their lives on holidays and gambling. Is that fair?

We had to sell my mil's flat to pay for her care- and we all felt that was fair enough. My parents savings all went that way too. Why should we expect the tax payers to fund our parent's care if they have the funds. Why do we have the automatic right to inherit from them- especially as a house bought for perhaps 5000 is now worth 500000?

My mother and father split their home into tennants in common.
My mother did not want the half of the house she earned to go to another family if Dad ever got re married or have her money used towards his care.
This did work well as I was widowed and I was retired shortly after so I sold my London house and moved in with Dad in Birmingham.
I did check the situation in case he had to go into care and I found as I was an owner occupier the council could not take any of the house.
Dad had very little savings so all the council could have taken was his pension.
Hapily Dad never went in to care and spent his pension on things he wanted.

Frank

I like your post about living in a caravan, crimson! (Although being Edna might be too much of a downfall )
It's difficult to see why any young person would want to get on the property ladder if they're going to be in the same position we are in when they become old and ill. May as well rent.
BTW you can't just sell your house to avoid care fees - there has to be a gap of at least 7 years between the sale and your needing care.

Reported - it's an advertisement for a consultancy.

Message deleted by Gransnet.

It seems that once they become ill enough to need continuing health care and are assessed as such by the NHS then the NHS pay the full nursing home fees thus no contribution is needed from the person who is ill. Presumably this is cheaper than keeping a person in hospital indefinitely.

Nowadays people have to make a contribution to their care fees if their savings are above approx 12.5K.

Once they drop below this amount the Local Authority will fund the care but they will also take the person's State Pension, leaving them with a pocket money allowance of approx £22 pw.

An elderly relative was in a residential home with dementia for many years and had no other home. Almost all of her state pension was used to pay her contribution to the fees. She became very ill, was hospitalised,was stabilised and now receives round the clock care in a nursing home with the NHS paying the full fees.She is far too ill to need any money or have any expenses at all.Thus her state pension accrues in the bank and on her death will presumably go to relatives. It seems uneconomical to say the least for the state to be paying her retirement pension and also meeting the full cost of her nursing care with no contribution from her.
Does anybody know if this situation is correct?

Jangly, couldnt agree more. It is what my children did, but there are many people earning £15 - £20,000 who are taxpayers and in my area where rents, even for a flat share start at around £500 a month and where the cheapest property is over £120,000 it is going to be very hard to save the £50,000 plus deposit they will need to get on the housing ladder. If they are paying back a student loan as well......

olliesgran - send that to Downing Street.

Love it !

One of my friends idea: A bit tongue in cheek, but it has its merits?

Let's put the pensioners in jail and the criminals in a nursing home. This way the pensioners would have access to showers, hobbies and walks. They'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc and they'd receive money instead of paying it out. They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly, if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool and education. Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ's and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard, with gardens. Each senior could have a PC a TV radio and daily phone calls. There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to. The criminals would get cold food, be left all alone and unsupervised. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week. Live in a tiny room and pay £600.00 per week and have no hope of ever getting out. ----------------------

While I don't mind using any investments or savings to pay for care I would like to be able to leave a legacy to my children in the form of our house.both my husband & I worked really hard to own our own property & we paid nic & tax all our working lives also we employed people who we paid nic for .so it would be comforting to know we could leave something for future generation in the form of property..

Have to save @ £10,OOO deposit even for a small house; no chance if you're having to pay rent on top of repaying student loans [only thing to do is still live with mum and dad for as long as possible]. Everyone in this country is being affected in one way or another.....it's so demoralising. I actually wish I lived in a caravan somewhere and didn't have to worry about property etc any more. Remember the woman who lived in Alan Bennetts garden, or 'Edna the Inebriate Woman'...I aspire to being one of them. I started at the top and worked my way down......

And I hope they let you do so silverfoxy.

My husband is disabled and my concern has always been that if I die first then any money (including our house) would soon be swallowed up in care-home funds. To protect my half of everything we have changed the deeds of the house to Tenants in Common which means when I die my half of the house is put in trust for my children and grandchildren and cannot be used by the state.

We have struggled financially and even had a house repossessed during one bad period of illness. It is only through inheriting part of a house that we have our own roof over our heads now. We have rebuilt our lives and I hope to leave some funds to our children and grandchildren who have been so supportive and loving during our time of great distress.

I appreciate it is harder these days. But not impossible, with hard saving. I guess I wasn't thinking about young people who are trying to get on the property ladder in the present climate. It'll be some time before they retire.