Quote Originally Posted by IanD View Post
Mum passed away October 2019. At that point, dad became sole house owner. He went into care February 2019. His inheritance and savings (to pay for care) would have run out (£23250 allowed for in England) roughly March this year. So, empty house had to be sold (completed January this year) to pay around £1100 a week for food accomodation and nursing. In any calculations for assets, a house is divvied up 50/50 between spouses. Mum was cared for at home and she paid the maximum of £90 a week which was means tested (in Cardiff). Not sure if we would have had to go down the differed option on the house to pay for mum's residential care if dad had still been living in the house and Mum reached a point of having £50k in assets. I do vaguely remember asking the question 2 years ago and seem to recall that "no" house cannot be sold to pay for care if occupied by a spouses. Best seek specialist advice on that one if it applies. As it was, Mum died at home.
The advice two years ago was correct - the LA can't force the house to be sold if there's a spouse living there, and the whole house value is disregarded. If your dad was still living there and mum went down to £50,000 in other assets they would still have ignored the house completely.

Best planning for those looking to safeguard the property is for spouses NOT to leave the house directly to each other, it leaves the surving partner with 100% of the house which effectively is counted against them in any care assessments.