There may not be that many members on HP around an age where my kind of Post is going to have any interest. If there is then please share your views...
We (husband and I) have over the past few years thought about things you just dont think about when younger! We only ever had one child (grown, married, divorced) he is not in great health, nothing serious thank goodness but we wanted to try an ensure we would be able to leave him something when we are no longer here so we really struggled to pay a mortgage to buy a house...we could have stayed in a rented council house all our lives, had holidays, drank, smoked, fritted our money away, but no we were sure our own home would be far more secure.
Does anyone realise just how this Government can then come along and steal from you? literally steal the very home and any money you may have struggled to pay for over 25 years. This is the case if one person only is living and needing care. Words fail me on this matter, my friend, same age is in that long term rented council house, if she needs care, she gets it, if I need care (will shoot myself first) then I have to give the Government thousands and thousands, they would literally take every penny I have and then only give me in return something around £20 a week. This is living in the dark ages, this is incomprehensible, this is giving me deep emotional frustration I just dont understand how people are not marching through the streets every week of the year at this outrageous situation.
I just cant accept this outright theft, there must be something some loophole where they just cant completely get away with this surely something can be done about it? SURELY!
Your friend will also have to pay towards her care if she has savings. Care has to be paid for. What would you suggest?
Surely we have all been paying all our lives? Meanwhile, the thieving rich, Cameron for instance, could afford to pay for a very great number of people out of the money his family made, for instance, out of slavery-compensation.
Err no Crowan while we struggled (still) my friend spends all her money enjoying life holidays etc., They can't then take this back off her now can they. As I say we on the other hand will have our money stolen. You sound very flippant in your reply, can you possibly put yourself in the same position and you may see things quite quite differently.
Yes iolo, the thieving rich!
My late Mother-in-law often used to moan about this. she lived in sheltered accommodation and needed care. Her husband had been very canny with their money, they had owned there own house and she had a LARGE sum in the bank. as the proceeds from its sale. She also felt the inequality of those she saw as 'feckless' having their extra care paid for.
My mother lived in a council house but still had money in the bank when she was ill. With no intention of defrauding anybody, she had all her accounts converted to joint accounts with my sister simply for convenience. However that meant when she was assessed for her contributions they could only take half her money into account because they had to regard half of it as my sisters..
So I can see it from both view points.
Life isn't fair at times, and Crowan is quite right. Care in old age DOES need to be paid for somehow. How would YOU do it?
But I also remember my mother-in-law died with that large sum in the bank. My son is now well placed , and I am certainly very comfortable because we inherited this money. It did her no good at all in the end. I am making provision for my care in old age (if I need it) and almost certainly it will become standard to purchase an insurance policy to cover the cost of care.
While I recognise the desire to leave something to children, we had to make our way with no help from parents, why should our children not do the same? My son would rather I enjoyed life than leave him anything.
Err no Crowan while we struggled (still) my friend spends all her money enjoying life holidays etc., They can't then take this back off her now can they. As I say we on the other hand will have our money stolen. You sound very flippant in your reply, can you possibly put yourself in the same position and you may see things quite quite differently.
Yes iolo, the thieving rich!
If you assume I'm being flippant, I'd better bow out of this thread.
The cost of care is outrageous, and it's unfair.
There are changes and capping coming in but not for years.
We all have to face the fact that people are living longer and surviving illnesses and diseases that would have killed them a few years ago. The world is overpopulated and anyone that has read Dan Brown's 'Inferno' will know one solution. Funding all depends on the care that a person needs and why they need that care as well as how much money or property they have.
It still seems wrong that as a country we pay so many billions in aid to other countries who then build armies or pay for missions into space with it, then make our oaps sell their homes to pay for their care 🙁
Well, jeannie. That's simply because you're stupid. Me, too.
Jeannie - one of my elderly clients was in a similar situation a few years ago. She went to the local Citizens Advice Bureau, and spent an afternoon with their financial adviser. The woman she saw was amazing - my client sent her a bouquet of flowers!!! She gave her all sorts of options. She was in a different position, in that she had no relatives still living, but had accumulated a considerable 'nest egg' which she resented giving to the government should she ever be in the position of needing care.
Does anyone realise just how this Government can then come along and steal from you? literally steal the very home and any money you may have struggled to pay for over 25 years. This is the case if one person only is living and needing care. Words fail me on this matter, my friend, same age is in that long term rented council house, if she needs care, she gets it, if I need care (will shoot myself first) then I have to give the Government thousands and thousands, they would literally take every penny I have and then only give me in return something around £20 a week. This is living in the dark ages, this is incomprehensible, this is giving me deep emotional frustration I just dont understand how people are not marching through the streets every week of the year at this outrageous situation.
Well, unfortunately that's how economics works, and Crowan wasn't being flippant, but was making a valid point, the money to pay for care has to come from somewhere.
From what you say (and I don't mean this offensively, I'm just putting a viewpoint to you), it sounds as though you are jealous of the fact that your friend would receive care and not have to pay much towards it. The fact is that if your friend has enough money in savings to fritter on holidays etc. as you suggest, then that money would have to be considered for her care and she would have to put it towards her cost of care.
Are you suggesting that because you've worked to pay for a house, that you should also get cheap/free care like your friend? In that case who is going to pay for it? It would have to come out of taxes from people who are working... the very same people who are struggling to save for their future and their own care. In which case why should you get to keep the money you've invested in a house whilst everyone else pays for you? That is the nature of economics; and there would be nothing stopping you selling your house, moving into rented accommodation, and frittering the money from the sale of your house, going on holidays and living a good life like your friend, until it comes to the point you need care; and as already mentioned you could put the money in join names with your son, and also start gifting him money on a regular basis if you wanted to ensure he had something.
Unfortunately, care doesn't pay for itself, and those who have done well out of life and earnt a good living and saved money also have to pay for their care when the time comes.
Remember, in old times, people used to have larger families, and when their parents came to be in need, many would often be cared for at home by their relatives, especially as society tended to be such that men went out to work and women stayed at home looking after the house and parents... but... society has changed, and many children don't want to spend so much time caring for their parents, or can't afford to as they and their spouses are trying to hold down jobs to pay for the increased cost of living we now have. Care homes are relatively new, and in the past were very few and far between, and it wasn't that long ago that such infirm parents would have had to go and be cared for in workhouses (some were very like care homes), relying on charity, as the families just couldn't cope with looking after them at home.
Increasing population, increasing costs, lack of care home spaces, there's many factors to take into account, and it all costs money, but you can't expect the working tax payers (who have their own families and living costs) to also pay more tax than they already do (in the UK we're one of the highest taxed workforces in the world) when they struggle to save for their own future.
I'm certainly not saying it's "right" that people have to sell their homes to pay for their care, but as Crowan correctly asked, where do you suggest the money comes from? (and not all of a persons savings are 'taken', as a person is allowed something like £24,000 that won't be touched, if I recall the figure correctly)
All Love and Reiki Hugs
There may not be that many members on HP around an age where my kind of Post is going to have any interest. If there is then please share your views...
We (husband and I) have over the past few years thought about things you just dont think about when younger! We only ever had one child (grown, married, divorced) he is not in great health, nothing serious thank goodness but we wanted to try an ensure we would be able to leave him something when we are no longer here so we really struggled to pay a mortgage to buy a house...we could have stayed in a rented council house all our lives, had holidays, drank, smoked, fritted our money away, but no we were sure our own home would be far more secure.
Does anyone realise just how this Government can then come along and steal from you? literally steal the very home and any money you may have struggled to pay for over 25 years. This is the case if one person only is living and needing care. Words fail me on this matter, my friend, same age is in that long term rented council house, if she needs care, she gets it, if I need care (will shoot myself first) then I have to give the Government thousands and thousands, they would literally take every penny I have and then only give me in return something around £20 a week. This is living in the dark ages, this is incomprehensible, this is giving me deep emotional frustration I just dont understand how people are not marching through the streets every week of the year at this outrageous situation.
I just cant accept this outright theft, there must be something some loophole where they just cant completely get away with this surely something can be done about it? SURELY!
Totally get you Jeanie. The system and the functionality of it is pretty dysfunctional.
No matter whichever way the counter logic of your situation is presented...there is no denying that people are left high and dry and they bloody well shouldn't be!
People are bogged down with hard work, taxes, savings, planning ahead and ending in a sticky situation anyway
Total mismanagement on so many fronts, people, their lives screwed up left right and centre, insidious and damn right anti-people....system is for system....not for people.
Don't think you are speaking out of jealousy either. Damn right frustrated, that is clearly understood.
If good people don't speak up....bad things happen
Downfall of societies happen when people start justifying the system. System should always be challenged not quietly obeyed. It refines itself for the betterment of people, if people object and challenge it. If it is quietly obeyed...It gets atrocious that way....and that is no brain science. Is it?
May be one day we will follow the example of our neighbours....and pretest until the govt sees the sense
Had a very similar conversation with someone at work last week . He is a single chap coming up to retirement in 7 years, spend his entire life working and paying taxes and has never been on benefits . Had a marriage split up when his kids were still young and struggled to pay his mortgage and his child maintenance . He had to endure also like many of us a reduction in wages and entertaining the increase in expense of everything else .
His health is not what I would call above average even now and he is tempted to sell his average to small 2 bedroom house and retire abroad, somewhere 10 times cheaper to live than here in rip off britain .
For myself I have entertained a mortgage and have lost thousands of pounds once upon a time through one of the market crashes and also lost my home whilst also paying child support .
I got to a point where I paid off my debts through no fault of my own in that I am not responsible for the worlds economy lols and have got in a position to stand on my own two feet again . The thing is the worlds gone mad again when I look at the possibilities that now lay before me .. The thing is like most have realized is that the cost of owning your own home is so out of proportion to what people are earning and I say that in a relatively good job .
The thing is the whole darn thing could happen again and I do feel that the world is going to crash and burn again big time .. so what does that say about anything and how many go about their business trying to possess things to then call them their own .. and then have the rug pulled from beneath them ..
I suppose in time to come when things get far worse then there will be a new set of rules in place and with that a new set of problems for many of us ..
I think many will relate that things cannot continue the way they are .. it's like a time bomb waiting to go off ... tick tock lols .
x daz x
Glimpsing through couple of these replies I am going to have to take some time reading them all thoroughly before I let my blood pressure ZOOM up!
Have you researched the new Care Bill going through the House of Lords at the moment? Although the implementation is probably in stages and not until April 2016 onwards, the changes should help make you feel a bit better?
For instance instead of the £23,250 threshold at the moment that should rise to £118,000? Have a look here http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/care.html
I posted on a situation in this country that is totally and absolutely unfair, and I was surprised to then see silly comments such as am I jealous of my friend etc., How can people say such things and miss the point of my posting? No wonder this country is in such a state with such blasé attitudes.
Firstly to those who could only comment that I was possibly jealous of a friend being able to spend her money while I struggled, really struggled to pay a mortgage also once losing a home through crazily rising interest rates in the late eighties. However there is/was no friend as such, this term was just used to bring the diabolical matter in our country to appear more personal. I could have and maybe I should have just said people.
It was also mentioned care has to be paid for and what do I suggest this is a flippant comment there is no getting away from it. It is so wrong to expect many people like myself to have spent nigh on 30 years of their life in a financial struggle to pay a mortgage, not some fantastic home either, far from it, our mortgage was also taken as an insurance policy for our son who I have mentioned is not in great health, we needed to know he would have a little security. Of course up until a few short years ago we did not have any idea that if care was needed that this security would be stolen. There are no two ways about this it would be stolen. If only we had been in a position to also take life insurance but we could not afford both and we stupidly thought he will have the house, this is something tangible we can leave him to ease his struggles. Also unlike some we were never in a financial position to take out provisions for possible care, the people who think this is an easy thing for everyone are in cloud cuckoo land. Then there was the comment about years ago people would have to go in work houses. Then the suggestion we should rent and fritter our money away now, when you are in your 60s you need to be settled and it is not an option to take. Folk who make comments like this sicken me. NICE_1 (daz) if I win the lotto I will be in touch because like you a home was lost in our family because of the CSA.
I thank those who can see and have commented sensibly on a situation in this country that needs to be changed.
Last but not least what would I do about this horrible situation if it arose for me in the future...I would like a choice CARE HOME or CYANIDE PILL - but do not STEAL my home.