If a spouse has to go into a care home...

[gettingolderbutcooler]

I'm 60 and thinking ahead.

If, say, my husband (63) has to go into a care home, would I have to sell our house to fund it? That would mean I would have to find somewhere else to live too. Would I be entitled to half the house proceeds? Otherwise I would be homeless!

We own house jointly (no mortgage).
He has no real private pension.
Both of us currently still working.

Thank you for advice! Or website ideas!

No, you're fine assuming you are in England. As long as you are living there the house is disregarded. I don't know the rules for other countries.

@countrygirl99
Thanks.
But how would the care home be funded then?

You are entitled to stay in the house for the duration of your life or until you need care. Additionally you can move house eg if you want to downsize, LA will take half of the profit not half the total value. My mum is going through this at the moment and has checked in detail!

AgeUK have brilliant factsheets you can download.

The house wouldn't be taken, because you are over 60. You wouldn't be responsible for your husbands costs, (nor he for yours) so your income wouldn't be taken. But any joint savings you have would be assessed as half belonging to each of you,

If your DHs own savings/ half of joint savings are over £23.5k then he would be self funding. Generally it's advisable to split savings into individual accounts rather can joint for that reason. Below that until approx £14.3k (can't remember exactly without checking) he would have to contribute from savings. He would also have to contribute from pension/ any other income so it can get complicated to work out. Age UK are good for advice and have explanatory leaflets you can download.

No, and it doesn't matter what age you are as a spouse, you can't be forced to sell the house to pay for care.

www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/paying-for-a-care-home/do-i-have-to-sell-my-home-to-pay-for-care/

The house cannot be factored in even if you are under 60 if one of the owners is living in it. They can't just take other people's assets to fund someone's care.

The house will be disregarded for any future assessment for care if either partner is still living there. But if either you or your spouse die, and the other needs care in the future and you have a mirror will, all the assets/estate will pass to the survivor and be used to fund any care needed. If you don't have children, it's not really an issue, but if you do, they probably won't inherit anything if residential care is required by either of you in this scenario. I don't really know if there is a way round this apart from downsizing now!

Local authority depending on individual savings.

They won’t touch the property because you’re living in it. Even if you didn’t own it (say it’s in your husband’s sole name and he goes into care) and are over 60 (I think) they can’t force a sale to pay care fees.

The LA might put a charge on your property for the care home fees to be paid back on eventual sale.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I'll look at age uk too.
We do have 2 kids but we'll just have to see.