Benefits

[emmie]

asking on behalf of a friend, does anyone know what benefits if any
can a pensioner get if they are in a care home. He has a state pension, but is there anything else he might be entitled to. I could look up Gov site, but thought maybe i could get a clearer answer on AB

[EDDIE51]

The care home should be able to sort this out for him. It can be complicated , is he state funded for the care home fees or self funding for a start? Does he have a partner, assets ,house ? A lot more information needed.

[emmie]

its complicated, i posted on this last week, his daughter has had to put him in a care home as he now suffers from dementia, and currently she is paying the fees, because so far she has been unable and as i said it's complicated to get power of attorney to sort his affairs, so is having to find the money currently. His bank has refused her access to his bank account, even though she can prove he is next of kin, so if fighting this on different front. I passed on the info from before, but i wondered once this mess is sorted whether there are any other benefits he would be entitled to, even in a care home.

[emmie]

state funded pension, but as above she is currently paying the home care fees, and is feeling the pressure of having to pay so much money. I told her to keep on at the the DWP and social services, added complication is that he was not based in that town, but has now moved to the care home nearer her.
so all his letters, bank statements and whatnot for some reason are still being sent to his old home address. She has asked the social services to help on that, but they don't seem to have done, so she has no idea what letters are still lodging at his old address. and would find it difficult to keep driving there as it a considerable distance to retrieve them. She did inform the postal service of his move, but for some reason the post still seems to be going to his old address.

[emmie]

her dad has no assets like a house, and she is not even sure what if any money he has in his bank accounts as she currently can't get access.
The care home he now lives in have been no help, she felt that she would have to pay the fees, probably in case they said they couldn't keep him.

[EDDIE51]

If he is in the care home because of 'medical need' (which seems likely) then the NHS should fund him just as if he was in hospital. You need expert advice too complicated for AB. Look for the AgeUK web site, they have advisers who are expert in things like this and the advice is free.

[emmie]

he has dementia, and has been in the care home now for some while
what do you mean the NHS should fund him?
pay the fees?

[EDDIE51]

Here is the ageUK web site for money matters
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/money-matters/
Tell your friend to get hold of them they are very good, free and know all there is to know about such things.

[emmie]

thank you i will. I do understand how complicated things are, i had a nightmare trying to get help for my mother.

[EDDIE51]

Yes if his medical condition is so bad that he needs full care it counts as a treatment , just as if he needed to be put into hospital, so the NHS should fund him. Get hold of the ageUk advisers as I said, they can help with this as well as the problems in getting control of bank accounts.

[emmie]

she had no idea it would be so complicated to access even his bank account, because without that she doesn't know what monies, like a pension is being paid in, even though she has proved she is next of kin. i have forwarded the Age Uk details and see what happens after that.
For those who think that the benefit system is a doddle, have never had to navigate around it, i have and it's a proverbial minefield.

thanks for the advice, i don't suppose now he is in the place he could get something like attendance allowance, he is over 80.

[emmie]

one last thing, would i be able to retrieve the post, as i would find it easier and nearer to collect that she would. I am not related so would that be a stumbling block.

[EDDIE51]

He should from the sound of it get attendance allowance, by 'retrieve post' do you mean collect it from the care home? I am not sure but the next of kin should be able to give you permission to pick it up.

[emmie]

from his old flat, where he lived before moving to the care home, his daughter can't currently as she lives some distance away, and i could being a little nearer,

[emmie]

he is over 80 and likely this will be his last address, the care home, so wondered if he would be eligible for attendance allowance, i know he can't get DLA as you have to be under 65.

[EDDIE51]

if the post goes to his flat you just need a key to go and pick it up. he should get attendance allowance but I think it will go straight to the care home, again get hold of ageUK they are the experts in all of these matters they can help with all the problems, bank, care, fees, benefits the lot!

[emmie]

i have passed on that info, thanks for the advice.

[EDDIE51]

Let us know how you get on. It can be difficult getting the NHS to fund care fees but you stand a far better chance if someone like ageUK are on your side, they know exactly how to word the application, CAB are very good as well.

[emmie]

i told her before to contact the CAB, problems always arise as i know when you juggle family, work, social services, and agencies, and getting time to keep on at these people.

[EDDIE51]

This needs to be sorted out, every extra day is costing money that she may not get back. You can't do the legal stuff it has to be next of kin. You could ask ageUK as a friend of the old person they will at least give advice and tell you how much you can do and what the next of kin has to do.

[emmie]

that is what i am worried about, she is paying a lot each month and thinks that once it's sorted she will get it back, but i am not so sure.
They had been in regular contact, but because of the distance hadn't seen each other in a while, he was getting physically ill, and ended up in hospital, and now its dementia and can't get around well, and is often muddled, confused. So she got him moved to be nearer her, but the care home doesn't seem to have helped much.