Care home resident owes money.

[AniaSM]

Hi. My mum is in a care home and has dementia which is getting slowly worse. As the appointee of her pension I have just received a bill for about �350 for meals-on wheels ect from when she was living in a flat. She has only about �18 a week to spend after fees. I know she aught to pay this big bill a bit a week from her allowance but what can the council do If she simply cant pay it? What are her rights?

[naflharrison]

how did the council let the bill get so high without asking for paymrnt previously, i would suggest that you let it go snd write to them reminding them of their carelessness in the sense that they should have sought payment well before it got so high and at the end of the day they are hardly likely to take your mother to court over it, i would pay a visit to citizens advice and see what they say, failing the council beong nice si there no way you can clear this bill for your dear old mum?

[Rosetta]

Were you appointee before she went into the care home?

[terambulan]

Offer your mum to the Council as ransom till bill is settled.......gives your mum a nice break in grand council offices.

[AniaSM]

Hi Rosetta. No, I was not appointee before my mother went into the care home. Does it make a diffrence?

[Rosetta]

Well yes it might because you might have been deemed to be resonsible for the debt if you were responsible for handling her pensions.
As Nafharrison suggests CAB are a good source of advice.I would talk to them first. Don't quote me but I dont think she should have to use her personal allowance to clear a debt.
If it were me I would write to the council asking for the debt to be written off because of your mum's dementia and she was trying to manage, unsuccessfully, her own affairs. Councils can be reluctant to write off debts but CAB would advise you further on grounds etc.

[melshads]

hi there i am a secretary in a residential home, have you tried talking to social services about it.

[zzxxee]

go to see citizens advice or a solicitor they can advise you properly the ist half hour at a solicitors advice should be free.