What Happens To Pension When In A Care Home

[hardy49]

My brother suffers from schizophrenia and for the past fifteen years he has been living in a care home. Before his condition worsened he worked for the local council from mid 1970s until some time in the 1990s. About a month ago he was taken to hospital suffering from an infection. Thankfully he has recovered from that and has been transferred to a nearby mental hospital so his medication can be sorted out. We live over 400 miles away so our first chance to see him in person was last Tuesday. He was very chatty (quite unlike him) but one thing kept cropping up in his conversation. He kept saying he did not know where his money had gone and thought he should have more. Well, I have never pried into his business but I do know that when he reached retirement age he was contacted by the local council telling about his pension. I tried to ask him about how this was paid to him but he was adamant that he did not have a bank account
So,could somebody answer my questions. Firstly when you are in a care home do they take all of your State Pension to go towards your keep ? Secondly, if he does not have a bank account, how can his work pension be paid to him ?

[TWR]

The care home takes over the pension for his / her upkeep, in my Mother case, she has Dementia, it is then paid by the state.

[EDDIE51]

^ Yes the care home takes the pension towards your keep, you get some cash back each week as a sort of pocket money for personal spending.

[mikey4444]

It would be very difficult to pay a works pension, if a person hasn't got a bank account....impossible even.

It seems like your brother needs somebody to act for him in legal and financial matters. This may already have been done, of course, by the local Social Services.

But someone needs to find out about the Council pension, and if he isn't capable of doing that himself, then that is where Power of Attorney comes in.

I am not sure about the first part of your question, but my gut reaction would be yes, a State Pension would be taken by the care home.

[bednobs]

if you are a self-funder in a care ome, you can pay that money out of whatever funds you like (sale of a house, income etc) whether you chose to use your pension is up to you.
If social services are paying towards your care, they will assess your income before deciding how much you have to contribute. For most people being funded by the local authority, this will effectively mean the pension is taken, except for the little bit left over for personal use (buying toiletries and clothes etc) which i think is something like £20

[Jackdaw33]

How sad and degrading that pensions should be confiscated and a pittance handed back. Reminds me of the old days when young lads had to tip up their wage packets to their mothers who would then hand back half a crown as pocket money to see them through the week.

[mikey4444]

Hardy...please try to find out about his works pension, and let us know....we love feedback on here and it may help others in your situation !

[bednobs]

how sad would it be that the rest of us have to pay to house and feed people when they have their own income they could be spending on that?

[ummmm]

How is it degrading?

[Jackdaw33]

You have to hand over all your money and the little you get back is at the whim of the proprietors. I call that degrading.

[bednobs]

personally i don't find paying for my own bed and board degrading.

[bednobs]

it's not at the whim of the proprietors at all. it's a nationally set amount (this only applies if the local authority are paying for your care)

[mikey4444]

For the record, I don't think its degrading either. Long Term Care has to be paid for, and it would be the same if he was in a regular Hospital.

But I am much more concerned about his works pension hardy....somebody needs to take charge and investigate this matter fully.

Are you his next of kin ?

[Jackdaw33]

I have been in a care home, albeit for just 10 weeks for R&R. It cost me nothing as it was funded by the NHS. However I must say that if ever it came to the point where I needed care 24/7 I would take my own life rather than go into a home. I speak from limited experience.

[bednobs]

well good for you JD, but many people may not want to take up that option

[ummmm]

My nans (self funded) care home was like a hotel.

[EDDIE51]

I have worked in 3 care homes, the last one really was more like a Hotel than a care home. I would have no hesitation moving into a place liker that.