Care home fee rules

[237SJ]

If a single person buys a house by pooling resources with an elderly relative (each selling their own homes to get something together) and the elderly relative subsequently needs to go into a nursing home, can the authorities enforce the sale of the house to pay for it even though the other person is living in it?

[factor-fiction]

I expect so - otherwise it would become a popular loophole.

[Buenchico]

Start here:
http://www.direct.gov...CareHomes/DG_10031523

Chris

[Barmaid]

You need to look at the "Charging for residential accommodation guidance" (CRAG). Paragraph 7.014 is important in these circumstances. They would be unlikely to force a sale but the value can be taken into account as "deemed capital".

[buildersmate]

Or if you are looking at the link Chris gave you, scroll down to the bit on 'deferred payments agreement'.
Basically you don't have to sell the house but the local authority maintains a record what what is owed and gets the money when the house is eventually sold. They will take a charge on the property to make sure the owner doesn't sell without them knowing and scarper off without paying them.