Paying back money?

[val nixon]

Hope someone can advise.
Since my mum began to recieve disability and other benefits she has'nt hardly spent anything due to loads of hopital admissions, I heard that if its not spent it, has to be paid back should anything happen to her. Is this true? She needs things but is reluctant to spend (unless its from a charity shop, old habits die hard)

[Guest]

Unused direct payments from social services to pay for services do have to be paid back but benefits do not although if your mother is in receipt of means-tested benefits such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing or Council Tax Benefits, if her savings go above the capital limit she would have to declare this and these benefits would be reduced.

[val nixon]

Thanks Parsifal
So, its best not spend incase she has to hand it back?

[Guest]

No, she can spend all her benefits as long as she or you have reported a change of circumstances every time she has been admitted and discharged from hospital so that there is no possibility of any overpayments which would have to be paid back.

If she is on means-tested benefits and her savings go above the capital limit, for Pension Credit this is £10,000, she will lose some of the weekly income paid in respect of these benefits so she may as well spend her money.

If she has direct payments from her local authority social services department to pay for social care the local authority will want the amount paid each week that she was in hospital to be returned as she will have been under the care of the NHS but otherwise she may as well spend the money in the direct payment account on the services which it was provided for because any money which has not been used will eventually need to be returned to the LA and underspending could result in her receiving less money for social care in the future as it will appear that she did not need it.