When my partner first became ill with mental/dementia issues, I had to go from working full time to part time, as I couldn’t cope with caring for him along side a full time job, I also had caring for my parents alongside.
He also took an overdose which totally wrecked my head mentally afterwards, I was still working full time at this time and would be terrified of what I may go home to after work, I then decided I couldn’t deal with that so I got a part time job so I had more time for him, my parents, and myself somewhere along the line!
Because I had reduced my hours and therefor my income, he gave me his state pension every month so that financially I was ok. The past 7 months he has been in hospital for mental/dementia issues. The doctors are now suggesting that he is not well enough to come back home and so he will have to go into a residential care home.
The house is in my name only, when I first met him he had lots of debt issues, and was made bankrupt a few months after we had both moved into the house that I had purchased(I had money from a previous house sale as well as a generous redundancy package so I only had to have a mortgage for 25% of the house price) because he was giving me £1000 a month is there any way that Social Services will say they have a claim on my house at all? I haven’t had any money from him since last September as he would give me a cheque each month. I have had to increase my working hours because I havnt had any financial help from him since then. I have also cashed in a couple of my own private pension pots as I have just turned 55 and need to have some money available ‘for a rainy day’
So, is there any way they can make a claim on my house? I had to support him financially both when he was made bankrupt and again when he first got ill it was a few months before he could claim his pension so I had support him financially then
Social Services will say they have a claim on my house at all?
Why do you think this may be the case?
Welcome. Apologies in advance for the questions, but the answers are really important for you finances.
Was he claiming Attendance Allowance?
Were you claiming exemption from Council Tax on the grounds of “Severe Mental Impairment”?
This claim can be backdated to the day the GP was aware of the dementia, really easy to claim.
Are you his DWP Appointee, or do you have Power of Attorney?
Presumably he has under £23,000 in savings?
He has about £40,000 in savings, he was receiving his pension every 4 weeks but that’s all. I still work but have had to increase my hours since he was admitted to hospital.
The savings are what he inherited from his parents,that’s the only reason he has that sort of money
I had a phone call yesterday evening from the hospital doing some paperwork in regard to him being allocated a Social worker, and one of the questions I was asked was in reference to the house, as in who owned it or was it rented
No power of attorney, that was another question last night
Hi Frances,
If the house is in your name I don’t see why it should be taken into account for care costs.
He may be entitled to free section 117 aftercare if he was detained in hospital https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/leaving-hospital/section-117-aftercare/
If he isn’t entitled to section 117 free after care, social care will look at his finances - his savings. As he has £40k they will expect him to pay his care costs until his savings get below approximately £23k. Then he will pay a contribution. The only way I see there being a problem is if social care claim there is evidence of deprivation of assets i.e. he deliberately gave away his money to avoid paying his care costs. However, since he was only contributing to the household costs this shouldn’t be an issue.
I would find out about the section 117 first and then if necessary contact the Carers UK helpline
Our telephone Helpline is available on 0808 808 7777 from Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm or you can contact us by email (> advice@carersuk.org> )
Melly1
Are you aware of the DWP “Appointee” scheme. You could be responsible for his benefits.
If you were partners, and he used to give you money to maintain the home, I see no reason why this should not continue until he moves somewhere else, at very least.
You might like to investigate Guardianship in the long term.
This is really something for the Helpline, as rules to do with finance are a pain. The Helpline is available on 0808 808 7777 from Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm or you can contact by email advice@carersuk.org
The reason I suggest this is that you’ll get up to date and accurate advice on this - it’s a minefield.