Social care reform

So this is the latest bright idea for the social care reform plan but from what I have heard and seen during the day, there is one question to which I have not seen the answer.
If one of a married couple needs residential care at the end of life, he/she has the option to 'borrow' money from the state to pay for it, and this is then repaid, with interest, after death from the sale of the home. My question is, what about the spouse still living in the house? Are they made homeless so that the house can be sold or is the sale deferred until they too die?
When I was still working, I used to tell colleagues of a similar age that, by the time we were old, the government of the day would have introduced compulsory euthanasia - and they would laugh. Are any of us laughing now at the prospect of what awaits us in our twilight years?

12 comments:

Shooting Parrots said...

Rest easy on the euthanasia front. The government wants everyone alive and working as long as possible to milk them of taxes to buy them out of the hole they got us into!

Cro Magnon said...

Until they learn how NOT to waste all our hard-earned money, they'll continue to find more and more ways of relieving us of it. Then when we die they take whatever's left. Brilliant.

Daphne said...

I think that the honest answer to your query from the Government would be "Ooh, we never thought of that!" All this scheme seems to be doing is to defer the sale of the house a little while - - whilst the Government lends out the money - - and presumably charges interest on it. I don't find this approach totally helpful.

Jennytc said...

A similar scheme is apparently available now in parts of England, Daphne but the loan is interest free. Note the difference! Helpful? Only to the government of course!

Jennytc said...

Yes, that's a great comfort, SP. ;)

Jennytc said...

So unfair though, that if you have spent your life being prudent and self-sufficient, you are penalised - but 'twas ever thus! Keith and I might sell up and spend what money we have travelling round the world so that, when the time comes, we can be cared for by the state. ;)

WendyCarole said...

That is my worry too. There is a 12 year age difference between John and me. Does that mean he will be homeless if I end up in a care home in my dotage? Solent greeen is just around the corner I fear.

Jennytc said...

It is a worry and it's interesting that no-one seems to have come up with an answer yet.

Helsie said...

Seems to be a problem worldwide.
Aged couples approaching their last years with the worry of gathering together enough money for one in care and one sentenced to living alone and lonely for their final days. With three 90 year olds to care for in our family we are facing big decisions in the next few years.

Jennytc said...

It says much about our governments and society that people at the end of their lives and their families are subjected to this, Helsie.

ZACL said...

Okay...I noticed the same gaps you did Jennyta. There used to be a scheme whereby care would be provided on a local authority loan, if income and assets were above a certain level, and if the house was lived in. The loan was interest free. The spouse would continue to live in the family home till either care was required or death intervened. At that point the value of the property would have a charge upon it. Some areas still operate the old longstanding loan scheme. However, if the assets/income in the meantime dropped to at or below the threshold, (whatever it was set at)the fiscal situation had to be reviewed and the State assistance stepped in. Of course, property usually meant that the liquid assets depleted and not the other. These days properties could be in negative equity, a consideration that the Government is keenly aware of.

As you say, there has, thus far, been no mention of houses genuinely occupied by spouses and family. It's all soundbite stuff and ill thought out.

Jennytc said...

That's it in a nutshell, ZACL.

Plaster board and dust

So, we're still no further forward on the British Gas smart meter front and I've given up making non-existent appointments with them...