Do we have to sell the house to pay for care?

Published 01/02/2015

Please note: This article was published prior to July 2022, and some information may be outdated.

Here’s a very common story we hear from many families who are trying to make sense of the care funding maze. Most are told to sell the house to pay for care – and yet they may not need to.

Here’s a typical story:

“My father is currently in hospital awaiting discharge. He’s been ‘assessed’ by Social Services who have decreed that he can go back to his house with a care package in place.

As yet, we don’t know what that care package is likely to be, or exactly what kind of assessment he’s had. No one told us it was even being done.

My father is frail with various health issues and he’s cognitively very confused and therefore vulnerable on many fronts. His family feels he needs full time care. In my view he should go through the NHS Continuing Healthcare funding assessment process.

He does not want to go back to his house, and has told us this. Historically, he has had a care package at home, but it has generally lasted only 48 hours before he’s been back in hospital.

We’ve been told that if he goes into a care home we’ll have to sell his house and self-fund. Is that correct?”

So do we have to sell the house to pay for care?

This is the kind of misleading information that families are given every day by people within health and social care.

Always remember – you do not necessarily have to sell your house to pay for care!

If you have a relative needing full time care, read this vital information on care fees and care funding – now. It will help you to:

understand that you don’t necessarily have to sell the house
see that an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment should be carried out before anyone tells you to pay for care – and before you pay a penny in care fees
understand why a Mental Capacity Assessment may be needed

Sadly it’s not unusual for ‘assessments’ to be carried out without the family’s proper involvement – and indeed the wrong assessments at that. Read more about care assessments.

Keep in mind the key point that it is not a person’s money or assets that determine whether they pay for care; it is their health and care needs ONLY.

So don’t be put off by anyone who tells you have to sell the house to pay for care – or that you always have to pay for care if you have savings. The only way to know if you have to pay for care is for your health needs to be assessed – not your money. Be sure to read this vital information about care fees before you agree to pay anything.

Tagged Categories: Care fees, Care homes and hospitals

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13 Comments

Michele Williams January 31, 2021 at 5:43 pm

My Dad (who had been in a care home due to dementia) has recently died & his estate is being finalised by the executors. When he went into the home his house was sold by the powers of attorney to pay the care home fees & ive been led to believe that the local authority can only keep 45% of the proceeds of the sale, leaving 55% in his estate - is this true or do the keep the whole amount?

Paul david owen November 1, 2018 at 6:19 pm

Hi I was in full time employment but three months ago I moved back into my mums house. My mum has dementia later stages and is 71 she owns the house. I'm worried that social services might want to sell the house where I also live. When my mums condition deteriorates and she needs residential care home can the property be sold to fund her needs. I could lose my job in 12 months if I don't return very worried

Susan pearson October 27, 2018 at 6:00 pm

This is quite a story. My father of 81 was locked out of his home (jointly owned)by his 80 year old wife and sat in the ambulance until police came, returned him via ambulance to the hospital and from there was referred to social services who placed him in a care home for 7 weeks. Now, I haven’t been in contact with my father or he me due to circumstances when he turned up knocked on the door and there was this frail old man who is my father. My husband and I in complete shock and to be honest thought he hasn’t long for this world which gives you an idea on his health and mental state. It is a long sordid tale one his wife has to live with without rest, I am desperate to get help for him she has taken £11,ooo out of the account as half hers and now keeping all belongings. What I urgently need to know is he received a bill for the first care home of £1500, he is now in another care home pending finding somewhere permanent. I am not aware of any assessment everything is vague from social services. The house is joint ownership as the moment. What should I be looking out for or asking about as in costs so far. Thanks

Margaret May 28, 2018 at 1:23 pm

What are top ups for social care ? Can anyone help. Thanks
Margaret

Angela Sherman May 28, 2018 at 8:58 pm

https://caretobedifferent.co.uk/care-home-top-up-fees/

Marie May 4, 2017 at 12:13 am

My mother in law was taken into care after being discharged from hospital. We were initially advised that it was for respite until her mobility improved. 3 mths later a best interests meeting was held and the made the decision that she would stay their permenantly.
They said there would be a 12 wk property disregard as she owned her own home the she would need to start paying towards her care.
Unfortunately she passed away in January and the local authority have now sent an invoice for over £27,000 to pay for the rest of her care fees and are expecting for her house to be sold to pay it.
We are not aware that anyone had authority to do this as no power of attourney or court of protection was in place and to our knowledge she was never assessed for continuing health care.
Please can you advise if we would be able to contest this invoice and clarify if she should have been assessed to have her care fees paid for.
Thanks in advance

Carol April 30, 2017 at 1:59 pm

My parents are currently having to fund my father's care (in a residential home) and we are about to appeal against a negative outcome for the NHS Continuing Healthcare. When they run out of money, how far back will the local authority be allowed to scrutinise my parents accounts?

Karen Macey April 8, 2017 at 7:49 am

My mum has her own flat. But she had massive stroke. I care for her at my home, she is peg feed. She can't do anything for her self . I get four hours respite per week . My bedroom is stored at my mum's and of course all her belongings. Now council want her to pay for her own care five hundred pounds per week. Can the care be removed?

Melanie Cooper-Lloyd April 4, 2017 at 10:09 pm

My father has had to go into a care home following a stroke and unable to continue at home , having frequent falls . He is self funding but is their any funding that he can have , he still has his property and does have savings , surely he must be able to claim for something . I would be grateful for any advise this is all new to us and thought it would be worth enquiring.

Keith November 24, 2016 at 6:59 pm

My father in law has failing eyesight and has care at home which is paid for.
My mother in law has just left hospital (3 weeks) after a fall at home. She has been diagnosed with cancer and whilst she has interim care we are sure they will be better off in a nursing home or similar.
Will they have to pay for this?

Angela Sherman December 9, 2016 at 9:33 pm

Keith - sorry for the late response. Have a look at this article: http://caretobedifferent.co.uk/vital-information-about-paying-for-care/ No one should be asked to pay for care - or be asked about their finances - until a Continuing Healthcare assessment has been carried out. It's worth reading these FAQs as well: http://caretobedifferent.co.uk/nhs-continuing-healthcare-faqs/

eleanor June 4, 2016 at 4:38 pm

My Mother has been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare and is now in a nursing home, but we have to pay a topup of £175.00 per week. She has a bungalow which is empty so if we sell it now will she be liable for paying back Pensions credits or previous social care fees?

Angela Sherman June 8, 2016 at 11:03 am

Eleanor - you mentioned that your mother has been assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare but that you're paying a top up. Did she get thorough the assessment process? i.e. is she actually receiving the funding now? If so, you shouldn't be paying top ups at all; these are only for social care.