Carers UK Forum

Hello all, I am new here and I am hoping you can help. My mum is currently in hospital but is waiting to come home (we are waiting for SS to sort out a care package) my question is when the means test is done on my dad will his inheritance from his late mother be added in to the means test? The money was left to him alone but is in a joint bank account with my mum.

The second question is a joint active business account added in to the means test.

Thank you so much in advance, I have called the helpline but as this is a bit of an obscure question they advised to try the forum .

Mum is entitled to 6 weeks FREE Reablement care, arranged before discharge.
Then if she needs ongoing care, the LA should do a financial Assessment.
Your parents have a choice to be assessed jointly or singly.
If the person needing care has less income than the other one,singly is better.
Usually, it's assumed that everything in a joint account is split 50/50.
There is nothing to stop dad taking his inheritance out of the joint account before the assessment. Presumably he can prove it's his?
How old is mum? Is it a long term health issue?

Hi there Rachael

I'm not sure if you are aware but as well as our Helpline which I know you've been in touch with recently, we are also running a series of online weekly meet ups for carers to come along and chat with other carers to get advice and tips, given your question on the forum it might be worthwhile coming along and seeing if another carer has experienced a similar situation and can point you in the right direction. We would love to see you at one of our sessions, there's no pressure to share anything you don't want to publicly Rachael. Here are the links for you :

Care for a Cuppa:
This social is a great way to have a little break if you are able to and spend some quality time talking to people who understand what you are going through right now.
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advic ... ne-meetups
and our Share and Learn: - these sessions range from creative writing activities to beginners Latin dance sessions.
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advic ... e-sessions

with all good wishes
Ingrid

Hi - I believe if you can prove the inheritance then your Dad is OK. I am going through a financial assessment at the moment, and have a similar issue. My Dad was given a £50,000 gift as an early inheritance by his father - this was so my Dad could carry on the family business, which my Grandfather was very keen for him to do. I advised the finance team of this inheritance and was told that if I could prove it, they would disregard it when assessing Mum. Unfortunately, this transaction happened in about 1983, and my parents moved house in 2003 and during the move clear-out chucked away all of their old papers, so I have no way of proving the gift of money. Banks don't keep records from that far back I am told. I do have things like newspaper clippings from when my Grandad died (he was a local celebrity) which clearly state he passed the business to my father...but it doesn't mention amounts of money passing hands. So personally, I am stuffed...but hopefully you are not if you can prove the inheritance