“We Never Thought We’d Lose Our Home”

Three families.

Three heartbreaking stories.

One common theme.

All found themselves facing the devastating financial reality of paying for long-term care.

Roy and Shirley Sharp, both in their 90s, told ITV News they had no choice but to sell the home they had spent a lifetime building after care costs reached around £3,000 per week.

David Mosley’s family spoke publicly about the emotional decision to put the family home up for sale after years of paying for care from their own savings.

Kath Pearson’s family spent more than £250,000 on care before later discovering they may have been entitled to NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, leading to a long battle to recover some of the money.

Sadly, these families are not alone.

Across the UK, thousands of people every year find themselves having to fund some or all of the cost of their own care. For many, it means watching a lifetime of savings disappear. For others, it means making the heartbreaking decision to sell the family home.

The most difficult part?

Many never saw it coming.

They believed they had done everything right.

They had worked hard.

Paid their taxes.

Bought a home.

Written a will.

Some had even been told their affairs were “all sorted.”

But when long-term care became necessary, they discovered that things were far more complicated than they had been led to believe.

One of the biggest misunderstandings we hear is:

“I’ve made a will, so my home is protected.”

Or…

“We’ve changed the house to tenants in common, so the council can’t touch it.”

Unfortunately, estate planning and care-fee planning are specialist areas. What works well for one family may be completely unsuitable for another. A standard will or a simple change to property ownership does not automatically protect someone from being assessed for care costs, and many families only discover this when it is too late to make changes.

The good news is that there may be planning options available—but timing is everything.

The best time to understand your options is before care is needed, while you are healthy and able to make informed decisions.

If protecting your family’s future is important to you, don’t rely on assumptions or well-meaning advice from friends or social media. Speak to someone who understands later-life planning and can explain the options that are appropriate for your personal circumstances.

If you don’t already know where to turn, Later Living Helpline may be able to introduce you to an independent estate planner who volunteers their time to provide free general information about later-life planning and care-fee planning.

These information appointments are not provided by Later Living Helpline directly, are subject to availability, and places are limited because the advisers volunteer their time.

A single conversation today could help you make informed decisions that give you and your family greater peace of mind for the future.

Simply request a free advice call and, after a short conversation with one of our volunteers, if appropriate, you may be referred to an independent specialist estate planner who donates part of their time to provide general information without charge. As these appointments are provided on a voluntary basis, availability is limited and not everyone will be eligible.