I have a hypothetical question for you:

If a husband has to be admitted to a secure psychiatric unit/home/whatever - is the wife responsible for the payment of that unit whilst he is there?
What if they have separate bank accounts and no assets?

Just trying to settle an argument with my mum ;)

As a husband and wife as far as Im aware you are deemed to hold everything jointly even if you have seperate accounts.

When my grandma was admitted to a residential home my grandad was responsible for payment, if thats the same thing as your asking :)

As far as I understand it, it is a bone of contention for many because if you have assets you will end up having to pay for the care but if you have spent all your money and not saved any and so haven't got a bean then the state will pay it for you.  This is for residential care but not sure if psychiatric would be classified the same.

I'd have thought the state would pay it, if someone is being treated for an illness (as in this case) the NHS would pick up the bill.  If an elderly person is moving into a residential home that is very different.

It's an interesting point because if you have to pay for residential care yourself but not psychiatric what category does alzheimers fall into?

I forget................

LOL

The person in question is actually dangerous so does need admitting to a secure unit - his wife has some money... is she responsible for paying for it?

The secure units I know of are NHS so funding not required.

This is an illness so it would be paid for by the NHS

I've a friend in this position and the NHS pays.

tohme  :D

I think alzheimers would be paid for, a cousin of my dad's had it and when he got bad not long before he died he went into a home which I'm fairly sure was paid for by the NHS.  I do know someone with advanced MS and she spends some time in a care home or hospital every few months to give her carers a break, this is on the NHS.

That depends entirely on whether you are treated in an NHS psychiatric unit - unlikely for Alzheimers these days - or a private nursing home. However Maggie May is a "Pat dog" and we visit at a charitable psychiatric hospital - large building with locked wards - and most of the patients in the 2 wards we visit have some form of dementia.I have often wondered how that fits in to today's financial system Going back to the OP, being admitted to an NHS unit for a psychiatric illness is no different to going in to a General Hospital- in fact often is a unit of the same - so there is no charge.

My friend's dad had alzheimers and his wife was responsible financially.  I think if someone has to be admitted because they are a danger to themselves or others then I would think that the state pays because the responsibility is taken from the family

Most units now are attatched to hospitals and are NHS so i am pretty certain the NHs pays. I have never been followed for money even tho my ex husband has been in one on and off for years. And I am also pretty sure his Parents havnt had to pay even tho they are his next of kin. (He was sectioned as a danger to himself and others)
HTH
Lea.

I am a bit behind with it so don't hold me to it and The law is a bit different country to country and it also varies from private care to NHS trusts. .. Boy this Scottish parliement gives me some extra work trying to find things out for both England and Scotland :-)

The last thing I remember is it is only the personal care that has to be paid for and it had to be if you had monies over £16K. All monies in a Marriage are deemed to be matrimonial monies unless the person had them before marriage and that is a whole other issue ;-))

He has an illness, therefore he is in hospital, so it should be NHS funded.  I have been lead to believe also that if one partner is transferred to a nursing home, the existing partner does not pay if they are in the original house!

If this has been a long term illness then he could be in receipt of incapacity/disability benefit, some components of this (care component in particular) will be suspended whilst he is in hospital.

I am working in one of these hospitals at the moment so will ask some questions but if it is in a secure unit and has been refered by a GP then if the person in deemed dangerous to themselves or others and is sectioned then the NHS will foot the bill :)

If someone is sectioned under the Mental Health Acts then the NHS would pay. However, I think there's probably a grey area not covered by the NHS in the case of people who used to be described as "elderly mentally infirm". In the past they would have been admitted to long term geriatric wards in NHS hospitals but nowadays they are usually assessed for suitable residential care and often end up in nursing homes that can provide the appropriate level of care they need if they can't return home. At this point means tested contributions are calculated and joint savings would be counted towards total income in the case of a married couple when one of them had to pay nursing home fees. 

Ok there should be 20 replys here/ Is it that Admin has removed them or is it that the new system has got a glitch????????
Lea :)

They are there.  Are you reading just new posts or have you clicked on the thread itself.  Even then I think it now takes you straight to new posts, try scrolling up and see if you can see the others.

Not on mine :( i cvant get them even going to old replies :(
Lea :(

Hi Lea
i noticed the same on my screen yesterday, if you go to options and uncheck the box for
collapse topic branches without new/unread posts
i found that all the posts returned.
hope that helps :)

Thankyou :D
Sorted!!!!!!!
lea :)