Having a 'mare

[gremlindolphin]

My Mum is in a nursing home as due to an illness and operation she is now paralysed and needs help to do absolutely everything.

Its become complicated but to cut a long story short she has now run out of cash. I approached the local authority 6 months ago to say this would happen and could they help us. They suggested temporary financial assistance which is effectively an interest free loan guaranteed against her half of a property that she and I own jointly. They gave us examples of other people they had done this for, told me not to worry about how long it takes as will all be backdated etc.

Having met with various people from the local authority, filled in forms, been on site to meet their valuer etc they came back to me last week and said that the house wasn't on the market so they couldn't help. First time of mentioning anything about it being on the market in the whole 5 months of the process and it being suggested in the first place.

So now Mum has no cash, owes the nursing home a months rent and they say I have to sell the house or at least her share of it - which all takes time and nursing home have said I have 2 weeks to sort it out or they serve Mum notice!

Having a panic attack.

Have you asked for advice from Age Uk ?

If you download factsheet 38 from this link www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/the-means-test-and-your-property/
it explains that
that the value of a joint interest in property will be heavily influenced by whether the other joint owner or another interested party is willing to buy the resident?s share. If not, it may be unlikely that an outsider would be willing to buy into the property. In these circumstances the value of the interest, even to a willing buyer, could be very low or could effectively be nil.

It also discusses people who share occupancy rather than jointly own - seems you need to be over 60 or incapicatated but
The local authority also has discretionary power to disregard the value of the property where it is the home of someone else not included on the above list, such as a relative under 60 who has been caring for the resident for a substantial period or a friend who is over 60. The authority does not have to exercise this power but should give individual consideration to any requests to do so.

I would post over in legal www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_matters
and see if they can advise .

Good luck and don't give up .