Sharing House Expenses when Parent and Offspring living together.

Speak to the CAB or Age UK. They will have all the information you need to deal with this and will probably be able to support those affected when they deal with Social Services

Hi Lilygran

I have spoken to the lady on the phone this morning and she seems reasonably OK.
We did briefly mention the meeting with the Social Worker and she has said that she will mention it to the relatives who are living with their parent and they will hopefully get on to AgeUK.
I did read a few days ago that due to the money situation councils are now having a harder look at the finances of people who have to go in to care.
The only thing I could think of is possibly opening a joint household expense account, and the offspring and parent put an even amount in it to pay the bills.
Car running expenses could be more difficult.
In my case Dad and myself tended to go shopping and on holidays together so from that point of view the expenses should be split.
We never thought of it from an expenses point of view but we lived on the north side of Birmingham and almost all of Dad's hospital appointments were at various hospitals on the south side.
I could see a social worker saying the car should be ran at my expense but if I had kept a log on the mileage Dad was probably getting the most use out of the car even though I was driving it.
The other difficulty I could see is proving who had the services which money is spent on could be difficult.
I never objected but Dad for example liked a glass of whisky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
I do not like whisky so I did not have any.
Also when we went out I normally had a cup of coffee where as Dad only liked tea which tends to be cheaper so will social services expect people to keep a log of every expense in future?.

Frank

I would simply say that we pooled our money and each paid half of the upkeep of the house and expenses.

I see what you mean. You're thinking of other people who are sharing a home and expenses who find themselves in a similar situation, rather than the lady whose meeting you went to. I think what I said about getting professional advice is still the best route to take.

Hi Absent

I am talking about the wider family, cousins etc.

Frank

Hi Lilygran

At the start of the meeting the mother was alive.
It just happenrd she passed away just before the meeting ended.

Frank

I can't imagine what involvement the social worker has in this matter if the mother has died before arrangements have been made for her to go into a care home. It would be routine for a social worker to be asking about finances if part or all of the cost of a care home was going to be paid by the NHS or local social services. Otherwise, nothing to do with social services, surely? Frank you've come to GN with a number of problems and we all give the advice we believe is correct. Some of us are actually qualified to do so! But I really believe you would do better to contact CAB or AgeUK or an advice centre. A lot of churches in urban areas run advice centres or the local library will have a list.

I am confused about the number of mothers in this family. Also I am not clear what the issue is. If other members of the family have a similar situation but with the parent in question still living, they would be wise to seek professional advice, especially as each case is likely to be different.

Another thing Greatnan.

There must be many of these types of situations around the country and I never thought about this when I was living with my father.

Frank

Hi Greatnan

As her mother suddenly passed away in hospital before the end of the meeting this will now not apply in her case.

Really she is just interested as there are 2 other widowed daughters in her wider family one living with her mother and one living with her father.

Frank

Surely she would be better consulting the appropriate bodies, rather than relying on information from strangers on a forum?