Sold Parents Property - how much can she spend ?

[SimonTheSailor]

My mother went into a care home over a year ago, I've completed the sale of her flat (took 10 months).
She has to pay for her own fees until it gets under a certain threshold when the local authority may step in and and pay a proportion of it. All worked out on a financial assessment. I understand all that.

She has enough money for another couple of years. How much can she spend now ? What if she wants to give some away ? Can't seem to find if there are any limits on it.

[N111BJG]

Age UK have some very useful information on the issue which comes under the topic of Intentional Deprivation of Assets a quick google will take you there

[alscar]

As above - deprivation of assets is fairly wide reaching and Councils can look back into her Finances to see when and what was given away and for what reason to whom.
The fact your Mum has already has the financial assessment makes this even harder to do.
Realistically small gifts ( birthdays and the like ) are probably acceptable but relative to her overall "wealth "in terms of quantum.
When your Mum "only" has £23,250 or less is when Councils will need to contribute.

[Jamescrs]

Been through this with Grandparents and the councils will look very closely at any spending if they suspect any efforts to reduce her funds to gain funding instead.
Giving cash at Birthdays/ Christmas was generally acceptable but we are talking about sending grandchildren £50 kind of stuff, not gifting them a grand for their birthday. Day to day costs for her own health and welfare where fine, paying for toiletries, clothes, hair dressers, chiropodists who came to the home kind of stuff were all fine.

Any withdrawals of significant amounts of cash or transfers will be looked at seriously and will have to be accounted for.

[POIDH]

Also currently on this with father who is selling up and moving in to elderly rented space, with an eye on costs of care looming due to a lot of health conditions. He only has modest assets - around £120k in total but a reasonable size private pension, public body pension and state pension income.

He is actively giving £50 to every grandchild, child, niece and nephew for birthdays he can, £100 for every wedding anniversary, pays for any meals out when we visit, if I ever drop in there is £50 from his weekly cash 'for fuel' etc. He has donated his 2003 Yaris to a grandson to learn on and then to pass on again to another grandchild. He has moved back to more cash so a few of the £50's cannot be checked/tracked/noted.

But anything above that level he has been advised will be seen as deprivation of assets and to be VERY careful how he proceeds.