Just sorting probate and deceased husbands finances and digging through statements and talking to DWP. Richard received full PIP payments until he went into full time care with young onset dementia. I had an interview and was told that the NHS would make a contribution each week for his nursing care. The PIP stopped. No one informed me of this process. The DWP manager I spoke to said that because he was receiving NHS/local authority help they considered his case as being ‘in a hospital’ and therefore ineligible for PIP any more. I really tried not to go off the deep end. Surely if his care was deemed ‘hospital’ level he should be fully funded as if he had any other disease or disability. I should have taken him to a hospital and left him there!! This is sharp practise if nothing else - giving with one hand and taking with the other. The manager actually agreed with me that it was a very grey area. This is a prime example of the total lack of concern, understanding and justice which surrounds the Care system. I feel like chaining myself to the railings except I am too tired trying to earning a living having sold my house and given up my job while caring. I’ve just looked up the NHS site to see which illnesses and conditions are fully funded - there are many - Is it wrong of me to wish my lovely man had had one of these instead of young onset Alzheimers?
I’m very sorry to learn of your situation. My husband died suddenly when he was 58, I was 54.
Very often social workers and hospital discharge staff don’t know the rules very well. I once reclaimed £8,000 for mum for this reason!
Just a few questions to start with.
Who arranged your husband’s admission to a care home?
Were you asked to contribute towards his care?
Was there ever a formal financial assessment?
Did he ever have an NHS Continuing Healthcare Assessment?
@maryclare i don’t know everything I only know the things that I have read. You will need to do your own research, and you know how your husband was. I am so very sorry for your loss.and yes they do give with one hand and take with the other. You need to look up care home charges. And that should tell you the benefits they take.it will be on the website I’ve mentioned below.information I have found and as follows.
Someone goes into hospital if they are in hospital for more than 28 days certain benefits stop to pay for there care including pip, DLA, universal credit etc. and then are restarted when they come home.
With requards to care homes.the rules for 2026. If your local authority /nhs funds your care. daily living allowance stops after 28 days. The mobility part of PIP or DLA continues to be paid.
If you are self funding (paying for your own care) you can continue to receive all components of PIP ,DLA. or attendance allowance indefinatly.
Temporary /respite stay if it is temporary stay you may receive benefits up to 52 weeks (if not council funded.
With requard to continued healthcare. It does not go on the illness or diagnosis that a person has but on there primary health needs. Two people could have the same illness one have lots of needs but the other none. So it goes on there needs because of there illness not on what they have. People who have an illness, disability or had an accident and have primary health needs of a high level. Can ask for a checklist if the checklist is passed they can then go onto the assessment. If you go on to this website caretobedifferent.co.uk. The first page if you look near the top row of headings one will say getting started click on that look down the list that appears and you will see the heading. The national framework for continued healthcare and nursing care look at that and read it ,it will have the checklist and will have the criteria compare that to your husband and how he was and if you think he would have passed it or not. If you think he would have done on that website look up claiming care costs back. There is a form that people can fill in .i think it goes back to 2012 and you can fill it in and try and claim the care costs back. I don’t know a lot about this I’ve only read abit of it on this website as it did not apply to me. So read on the website about claiming care costs back. Also read the section on costs in a care home. I’ve just read online that if the local,authority pay your care home costs they can only take the daily allowance part. Not the mobility part. So if the DWP having been taking all his pip, they should not have been taking the mobility part, and if he is in a care home and not a hospital ,they should not have been treating him like he was in a hospital and taking it all.you have to watch these people.its not a grey area they just don’t know what they are doing.
If you ever want to know anything about the DWP and what there doing you can ring your local citizens advice bureau put that in google and where you live and it will bring up your local CAB phone number,they have helped me with lots of things. You can also come on here and we will try our best to help you. I hope all this information helps you. Please take care.
Lastly trying to claim care costs back is not easy it can take years from what I’ve read on this website and I don’t know if everyone manages it.but don’t give up. if you go to the bottom of the pages on the website and read the comments people write there stories and experiences there, it may help.
I reclaimed £8,000 for my mum from Hampshire County Council. It CAN be done!
@maryclare one thing what I would like to ask if I may as I have just thought this.you say having sold my house and given up my job while caring. You were married to your husband if your husband goes into a care home and you remain living in the house. The house is not included in his financial assessment while you are living there. As long as you don’t move or sell it. It is called a property disreqard. Have a look. The council did not force you to give up your house to pay his care costs did they. Because there not allowed to do. Also when he passed away the house would go to you. The only time it would have anything to do with the council would then be in the future if you ever needed care.Just thought I would ask. If so I would ring the CAB and get legal advice.ii don’t know if you meant this.