Sale of home to fund care

OnwardandUpward

*The government have really, really, REALLY failed families* Such a failure. They should have done the cap.

The reality is that successful families have wealth and can be taxed, unsuccessful poor families have no wealth so cannot be taxed.

There are 2 certainties in life, death and taxation, if you have wealth it will be taxed, my accountant jokes, “spend some and enjoy it”, if the children need it gift them before you die.

Yes of course, 2 certainties and "you can't take it with you", I know, I know...

But this is another way the last government let a wide section of people down. It could be argued that it doesn't affect the poor, well I don't see the problem with that. Just tax the rich What about people who are neither rich nor poor? Do they not deserve a cap?

Unfortunately the last government talked about a lot of things that they then didn't do much about, including Dangerous Dogs....

It wasn't covered by NHS unless there was a Continuing Health Care Need, if you can prove that it will still be covered by NHS. It was covered by the Social Services budget which was the responsibility of the Local Authority and has been successively reduced by all Governments over the years. Which is why a lot of the Care Homes that accept LA residents are the less nice ones. If you are really luck you might get one that's at least reasonable and the Carers actually care.

Its hard to prove that there us a CHC need, even if you know there is one. I don't know how bad things have to be to get one, but I'm sure many don't get what they are entitled to because they don't even know it exists.

We were told by the government in the 1950's, when we started work to take out a private pension and save for a rainy day. Well we did save and take out a private pension and now I understand why we were encouraged to do so. It was so they could use pensioners savings as a private bank for themselves.

We were also told to buy diesel cars which we did and now people with diesel cars are being punished. I am waiting for the next big idea from the government which in a few years time will once again cause us financial problems.

HattieTopper12345

We were told by the government in the 1950's, when we started work to take out a private pension and save for a rainy day. Well we did save and take out a private pension and now I understand why we were encouraged to do so. It was so they could use pensioners savings as a private bank for themselves.

We were also told to buy diesel cars which we did and now people with diesel cars are being punished. I am waiting for the next big idea from the government which in a few years time will once again cause us financial problems.

Indeed so.

Go onto beaconchc.co.uk where there is free advice on CHC funding. There are copies of the forms that are used (check list, then application) - go through them in relation to the patient and wave them at the ward.

Be meticulous as to how their person is when at their worst.

NB - the funding is available for both care in the home and in a nursing home.

My late OH was refused twice, but I persevered to an appeal (with the advice from Beacon) and it was granted posthumously - not before I had had to sell my house though! You have to be determined, single-minded, methodical and assertive.

Sorry - I copied the wrong post to reply to! Should have been OnwardsandUpward's post.

Go to www.beacon chc.co.uk

and again - www.beaconchc.co.uk

I think more people over the last 30 years would have saved for a rainy day if they could have afforded it from their minimum wage jobs.
However because of privatisation and Thatcher et al, bills like council tax that used to be a part of a council house/private rent as well as water- plus not being entitled to free or reduced dental care, rarely if ever chiropody and of course prescriptions that all take a massive chunk from a low wage even if you never drank, smoked or holidayed.

The fact that some earnings are so low that the employee pays no tax, then lately no NI is an indication of just how low our low wage economy is.
The newer requirement for a work place pension will help some but will be too little too late to free them from dependence on state benefits before or after retirements.
Makes me want to contemplate taking to 🍷 but I still prefer a cup of Yorkshire Gold 🫖

Thankyou

Commonground

I think I remember reading somewhere that,when a property is sold to fund care, the local authority takes all but £100k. I've tried Googling this, but all I get is info on Johnson's proposed £86,000 cap. Can someone help, please?

Follow this link - google - about care and costs.

Care and support: what's changing? - GOV.UK

God help us!

It always amazes me that the social services can send help into the home to get the client up, washed and dressed, make them a cup of tea then leave them to do their own housework, gardening, cooking, cleaning and return in the evening to put them to bed!

There is no mention of cleaning, yet that is an important issue because that is how infections start.

SuzieHi

Having carers 24 hrs can cost more than a care home and the responsibility is still on the family . Every time a problem occurs they’ll contact you to deal with it. On top of carers wages you still have to run the home- heat, light, food, repairs, council tax etc
The care home looks after them 24hrs and the problems are then removed to a great extent. Also, residents get great healthcare in a home whereas at home it’s up to you to arrange. My dad’s care home has Dr on call (& visiting every week for one am), chiropodist, hairdresser, dentist & optician, & a physio(once a week) care homes also provide entertainment & nice events so residents are not lonely or bored.
The burden of home care is huge - sounds better but in my opinion isn’t - fit the reasons above.

Sounds like utopia. I have been on disability since 1992. I pay my carers with that, and it works very well.

I dread anyone interfering in my life. I had a disabled living extension built in 2001. I can manage myself at the moment, personally, but cannot do housework or garden any more. I have a Band reduction for council tax, which helps.

There are few nursing homes in UK; even fewer who could deal with my disabilities. Certainly a care home could not.

I have been disabled since age 46. I have lived in the same house, had it adapted. People see me as old, but I don't have age related disabilities. I can cope at the moment.

What I cannot cope with is the attitude locally. My house is in a very desirable position. The detached houses on this estate are being bought up by property managers and turned into two units at high rents. Mine is one of the larger ones.

The efforts of people to get me out of my home have been soul destroying to say the least. They know nothing about my disabilities. All they see is an old person and empty rooms in the care home down the road.

The houses of the elderly are sold under value. The LA can sell them for whatever they like, so long as it covers the cost of care, keep the money and dish it out as and when, and hope it lasts the life of the resident.

Property managers will just refuse to buy at a price near the value, because they know if they hang out long enough, it will sell for a song.

Explore other ways of financing care, if that is what you want. Go into a care home and see how many employees there are. If you pay for care at home, you will get at least one hour a day one-to-one. On average, that is far more than a resident in a care home gets.

Equity release can enable you to stay in your own home.

OnwardandUpward

Yes, the disadvantage of 24 hour carers is, you need a second bedroom for the carer to use, the carer is also entitled to a 2 hour break each day. And yes you still have to run the house. I think it would be worth it for couples where one of them needs care and they want to remain together in their own home, though.

You are right of course, that the care home offers all of the above benefits.

So yes, if part of a couple I think 24 hour home care could work but if single, better to go in a carehome. Or if other partner can't cope, better to go in a carehome.

People used to really fear going in care homes, but from what I've seen they are very nice.

People are still scared of the dreaded words "care home", and rightly so.

Agreed Mt61.

I have read all of the above posts with interest and fear.

I am much older than OH so, accidents excluded, will pop my clogs first. Various health issues will almost guarantee this.

We are in the process of buying a house. A Deed of Trust will be put in place (must do the sums!). He suggested entering into a Civil Partnership. I Googled it but found the site unhelpful. Any thoughts would be welcome - advantageous or not? I asked our conveyancing solicitor and he said that the choice was our decision!

Junior daughter is the sole beneficiary of my Will. OH has no issue of his own.

I might do something nice and handy by keeling over in the garden but I might not and need care.

How best to stop The Reeves from taking all my cash and evicting OH from our house? All advice gratefully received.

I had to sell my Mums house to fund her Care Home Fees and it did take a very large chunk of the house value before she passed away.
However, during that time I learned a lot about the legal side of this and would now recommend anyone that owns property to change to 'Tenents in Common' with a partner or children. That way the Local Authority can only basically take half of the value, if any (depending on the circumstances).

What happens when the money runs out? . The government pays and you go where you are put. It does ensure there's no inheritance I suppose which will make them happy or you could bypass it all and spend the lot, sell the house and go where you are put sooner,. Heard living on a cruise ship is a good option and you see the world, then go where you are put.

My dear friends sold their home to pay the £4,000 monthly cost of the care home when she had to be cared for.
He has nothing left money wise and I feel sure he is struggling now to pay for the rented house he lives in and all the costs of running it.
A hard working couple all their lives and no home comforts at the end of it.

Jeanie99 that is so wrong on every level. Will any government step up to the plate I wonder?

People are living longer but with ill health that requires care.
I think only increasing general taxation on wealth and higher deductions from everyone according to their earnings will remedy our health systems.
This of course will mean employers paying higher wages so people can both save AND contribute to the good of the country.

SuzieHi

Having carers 24 hrs can cost more than a care home and the responsibility is still on the family . Every time a problem occurs they’ll contact you to deal with it. On top of carers wages you still have to run the home- heat, light, food, repairs, council tax etc
The care home looks after them 24hrs and the problems are then removed to a great extent. Also, residents get great healthcare in a home whereas at home it’s up to you to arrange. My dad’s care home has Dr on call (& visiting every week for one am), chiropodist, hairdresser, dentist & optician, & a physio(once a week) care homes also provide entertainment & nice events so residents are not lonely or bored.
The burden of home care is huge - sounds better but in my opinion isn’t - fit the reasons above.

Exactly this.

The care home that MIL went into knew that there were some savings (just enough for a few months stay) and we had to sell her home to fund her care when that money ran out, this was all agreed and a contract signed when she was admitted.

She was looked after very well, nails always nicely polished, hairdresser if needed, Doctor always on call coming into the Care Home. Costs then ( in 2020) were £1400 per week.

The run up to getting MIL into a home was lengthy, SIL tried to have her cared for at home, but ended up being exhausted and overwhelmed.

Sadly MIL died during the first Covid lockdown.

My neighbour is bedridden, she has carers twice a day. Yesterday they didn't come for. their 8am visit until 11.45am The longest they are there is 20 minutes, 2 people together, the curtains are opened, her breakfast done, don't know whether she gets dressed but some form of wash. They come back anytime between 3 and 6 and windows closed, meal done and thats it until next day when it starts again, I have seen them odd times occasionally too. I hope I go before it comes to that. Just when house work gets done I don't know. If her son comes to visit for a week or so a year, he lives in Canada, the service improves. I would have to sell the home as I couldn't be on my own that long and go into care but I understand she doesn't want to move. As shes a recluse I don't know if she can move around a little, her son said she likes lying in bed playing videos.

MILs carers wanted to put her to bed at 4pm, so Sister in Law had to drive round again later in the evening and get her sorted for bed.
The mess that she made in the house between carers coming in had to be seen to be believed, hence most of the furniture and carpets having to be put into the skip when she went into the home.
A live in carer would have been a solution but they only work their shift, so 2 carers 24/7 is extremely expensive, anyway MIL used to lock the doors so that they couldn’t get in, so again Sister in Law got a call to go round. It wasn’t a happy time for anyone.

win

If you are self funding you can go in care home if and when you want to, if you aren't self funding you have to have eligible needs before you are considered for a care home. You will need a care assessment followed by a financial assessment. If you have property, this either needs to be sold or you can ask for a deferred payment. If sold all the funds are used to pay for care. From £23500 the LA start paying some of the costs. It is however not until you reach £16.500 that you become totally funded. |At this stage you may have to move care home, if the home you originally chose do not accept LA funded clients. It is therefore best to choose a home which will guarantee you do not have to move if you run out of funds. although that does not give you so much choice and may not be acceptable to you either.
As far as the cap is concerned this was as many others have already said never put in place, discussed for many years what it would and would not cover and decided in the end it would only cover the actual care costs, but we now hear it has been totally scrapped. What a waste of money, time and effort working on it for so long yet not putting it in to action. Here is |A||GE| UK link to who pays for care. www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/paying-for-a-care-home/&ved=2ahUKEwjujujy292HAxWVVkEAHT9WNDgQFnoECBsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0_wd5BEBEfvvMwQ9w71whp

Think the tories had no intention of capping it & this lot for sure won’t be capping it

From the experience we have had with the care homes my dad has been in (we took him out as I felt he was being neglected) home was £1385 a week- hopefully by the time I need care hopefully they will have passed a law for euthanasia

Mt61

Just read on community care, that Rachel Reeves has cancelled the cap on care fees, this is to fill in the black hole of £1.1 billion

Wonder if that's the black hole this Government is handing out world wide.
What black hole. If they wanted to fill it they wouldn't be doing money out worldwide. Thought we had no money. Tax payers money to Africa, tax payers money to a non existent energy company that will make our bills even more expensive, because the numpty has stopped any more NS oil exploration, now let's just import more from overseas.
This Government, Starmer already voted worst PM ever, and he's only been in the job 100 days too long in my eyes, will never get voted in again.
Quote "If you don't know what you're doing, because you've never executed anything, and you don't to how to do it.... you decimate your country" Kevin O'Leary. Businessman.
This sums it up very well for me.