Hi everyone. I have a bit of a query. My step mother in law lives with us, we built an annexe using my double garage! We claim Carers Allowance and she gets Disabilty Living Allowance. Due to her deteriorating health we are finding things a bit of a struggle but we will continue to care for her. To help us we are thinking of ‘buying care’, such as getting someone in to chat with her to give her some social outlet. We pay all the bills. Can we charge her a reasonable rent and will it be classed as 'deprivation of assets?. Could we be taxed on it if it’s a reasonable amount. if we can charge rent this would help pay for the social input we are looking to get for her. Thank you.
Complicated many different factors for consideration. No easy answer - Shelter maybe a good place to start.
Do you own your own property.
Are your sure Step Mum in law is getting all the benefit’s she is entitled too…
Do we assume Step Mum in law is under 65 or has not yet been. Crossed over to PIP.
She may require a needs assessment from Social Services.
There maybe funding via this route.
Thanks for reply. She is 82 and does not get any means tested benefits. We own our property outright, and we are both retired. She has had an assessment by Social Services. She does not qualify for any other benefits.
“Rent” is the wrong word!
If mum didn’t have any money of her own, the council would take all her pension and benefits, leaving her with about £25 a week for “personal expenses”. All her Attendance Allowance as well.
How much does mum contribute towards the family household income? She should be paying her share of ALL the bills, council tax, gas, electric etc. and a third of all the food and general expenses. This isn’t rent, it’s EXPENSES.
My eldest son lives with me, and we have a separate “housekeeping” account. All the utility bills are paid from this, and he pays all of them. I pay for all the food shopping.
I suggest you set up a similar account, which mum then pays into, only in your case, think about how you deal with food costs. In addition, mum should be paying for all her personal expenses herself.
I’m not well versed in the ins and outs of benefits, but I’m surprised to hear that your Mum gets DLA, at age 82, I’d have thought she would be getting Attendance Allowance.
My wife is 71 and wasn’t eligible for anything other than AA because of her age, (she was too old).
The big difference between the two is that there is a Mobility Component attached to DLA but not with AA.
If you get DLA before you are 65, you keep it for life, including the Mobility Allowance.
After 65, you get AA, no Mobility Allowance. It’s so unfair, Age Discrimination.
Thanks bb, that would explain it.
I definitely agree it’s unfair, I’ve spent a small fortune changing vehicles since my wobbly became unable to walk.
I met a friend who at 64 years and 10 months told me she had developed a mobility problem.
I said to her “I don’t usually say it like this, but you MUST go home, ring up and get your DLA sorted out TODAY!”
No one had told her how the system worked, fortunately, she got her claim in, in time. The car is named after me!
Another friend also has a car named after me, she thought you had to be in a wheelchair to get DLA.