AIBU to try and prevent care home fees? Advice appreciated

[Watermelonsuns]

So my parents are elderly, both have health issues but managing well at home. My mum in particular would struggle if something happened to my dad. Recently a friend's parent had to go into a care home and as the parent owned their own house and savings they are self funding and the fees are crazy.
AIBU to try and find a way to protect my parent's property and savings in order its not all gone in care home fees in the last years?
Someone has suggested moving their property into my name but surely that would be an obvious way to avoid fees and would look dodgy? Is there another loop hole im missing? Aby advice from someone working in this area would be appreciated thanks

Health and social care, while intrinsically linked, aren't linked when it comes to funding. Not everyone will need social care in their lives, in fact the aim is that no one uses social care in their lives. If you need it you pay for it. If you're not using your house because you're living somewhere else, why should you get that for free?

This is just how any form of social welfare state works: those with the deepest pockets pay for those with the greatest need, regardless of whether those with the greatest need have contributed fairly, or those with the deepest pockets feel it’s unjust.

IMO local authorities do not do anything throughly or quickly and I have known plenty clients pass away without action being taken re DOA
Morally it is wrong but it does give the LA another hurdle to get over

The majority of elderly people having a care home paid for them have dementia.
Generally if you do not have dementia, you will be at home with carers.

In the long run I think it’s inevitable taxes will go up or there will be a requirement for all workers to pay into an additional insurance scheme to pay for Social Care

With the ever increasing numbers of Working Age People receiving social care this issue isn’t going to go away, even if elderly numbers decline.
97% of 18 - 65 yr olds on Social care are Tax payer funded
50% of 65 plus on Social Care are Tax payer funded

The reality is approx exactly the same number of people currently ( 137,000 to 150000 people each )
The elderly in numbers will likely be less as the years progress but Working Age Numbers are currently increasing year on year.

The SC bill of the future is a complete unknown for Councils
as is the housing bill ( both part UC payments and other ) which is another big bill.
Two huge bills = Bankrupt councils = more taxes
Just relying on the 50% who own homes isn’t enough especially with declining rates of home ownership.

My mum is 94 with advanced dementia. She lives with my partner and l. Because she doesn’t have the means to be a self funder and she has people at home with her, SS won’t consider full time care - home care package only. I know a lot of people of my generation in exactly the same position. We are expected to be carers unless self funding.

But some people are a massive drain on health care and we all pay for them.

My dm has never has a days hospital treatment in her life, doesn't take any prescription meds yet if she requires a care home place she has to pay? That is totally unfair.

Too late for my parents as we hadn't considered this sooner but we will do whatever we can to make sure our house is transferred to dc asap so at least we won't have to sell.

So ‘if you need it you pay for it’
OK
How then do people with no savings pay for it.
Or do they then not get it
After all you say if you need it you pay for it.

It’s not the deepest pockets though is it ? A relative of ours had to go into full time care self funding and the difference in price between the self funders and SS funded care in the same home is approximately £1000 a month. So my relative is effectively contributing £12000 a year from their own funding pot to subsidise others.

Yeah those pesky people born with health problems and disabilities.

Which means you both can’t work full time and this then reduces your tax contributions
Its very short sighted of the Government once again

There should be a system equal for all that everyone pays into throughout their lives.

IME people who can’t self fund full time care end up with SS home care packages. My own mum really does need full time care but because she can’t fund it the assessment deemed that home care was appropriate. Because it’s cheaper.

Which is morally unjust and an absolute disgrace

We’re both retired. So you’ve got the elderly (and in my case disabled) looking after the very elderly. With the added bonus for government that state pension recipients don’t qualify for carers allowance !!

Was your mum in rented accommodation getting her housing paid for.
If she was then I’m guessing SS would move her quicker to a care home
If she was already living with you they aren’t having to fund her accommodation, hence its cheaper for them.

When my MIL was in a care home all but two out of 30 were tax payer funded. MIL said they mainly were just old and slow on their feet, no serious dementia ( that was 10 years ago though and probably a different council to yours )

I’m disabled, and have been from birth. I could be described as a massive drain on healthcare. Except that I’ve worked all my life and paid my taxes. There are many like me. One doesn’t balance the other out.

Do you understand how a welfare state works?

Don’t think your getting how tone deaf your being you can’t compare care homes and hospice care they aren’t the same thing at all. It’s like saying that no one should pay for their funeral that the council should foot the bill it’s not fair that my parents have to pay for their funerals and Joe blogs at the end of the road with no family got his funeral paid for by the council. See how shitty you sound.

No, she lives with my partner and myself. So yes, much cheaper for them.

I'm not talking about disabled people, we have a disabled relative who receives frequent hospital care.

I'm talking about those with lifestyle related illnesses the smokers, drinkers, overeaters who understandably require frequent hospital visits. It is all free, great. What about those who live long and healthy lives but require a care home place in their old age, why should they have to sell their assets to pay for it?

🤯🤯🤯🤯

Ross that’s so shocking.
No wonder they won’t help you with your mothers care

I wonder how many on here who think tax payers shouldn’t pay think your situation is acceptable ? !

What do you have assets for in your old age if not to pay for all the help and care you need? What else are you going to do with them? Shrouds don’t have pockets.

You’re the one who said if you need it you pay for it. ( Which is not how the welfare state works) ………… Not me!

Most unpaid carers are above retirement age. Mainly wives and husbands, but also older children looking after very elderly parents, or elderly parents looking after disabled adult children.

The same as anyone else if you sell up or downsize or have it in cash anyway then
Restaurants
Days out
Clothes
Hair
Holidays
Nice food
Luxuries
Hobbies
Just like a lot of people who save up.
To enjoy life.