LF0891

Hi All,

I am originally from South Africa and have lived in UK for 22 years. I have full citizenship.

My father holds a British Passport, but has never worked or lived in the UK apart from attending school here as a child.

He has Advanced Parkinsons and his partner cant cope with him any longer and has asked for his family (brother and I) to look for alternatives for him.

Can anyone point me in the right direction on information on bringing him over and what he can receive as in NHS etc. I am aware that there is a period of time he will have to live with me etc. I just don't know where to find this information.

Thanks

LF

BritInParis

He will be eligible for free NHS care as soon as he arrives but what he'll require is social care. Are you proposing that he lives in a care home as the long term solution?

Pulaski

Well he may have to live with you for practical reasons, including related to his condition, but there is no legal obligation for him to do so. If he has a British passport he can come and go from the UK as he pleases, and live where he likes. Now obviously his state of health is a major issue, but whether he has ever worked in the UK, or ever lived in the UK at all is not a consideration in him living in the UK now, as a British passport is all legally needs to come to live in the UK.

LF0891

Yes, he will need to go into a care home in the long term. I work full time and wont be able to be around for a great deal of the day. He has very limited mobility, so will also most likely require a carer while he is living with me. I need to find out if he is entitled to this, and how long he would have to stay with me before he is entitled to anything.

I was thinking about going to Citizens Advice. They should be able to give me more info.

LF0891

He wouldn't be able to live on his own and I/he cannot afford the care homes/carer etc, so I guess my question is more related to the support he can get from Social Services etc. And when he would be eligible as I am sure there is a period of time he has to be here for in order to claim any sort of benefit apart from NHS.

scot47

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-g...Residence-Test

The news is not what you may wish to hear. It is possible that he would not be entitled to anything. Costs of a Care Home are very high if you have to pay from yoour own resources.

the good news is that NHS would be availablr, but that does not include the cost of a Care Home.

There is also this - https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Your-Situ...#guide-content

Go to a CAB or Welfare Rights Advisor. Do not rely on what you read here - from me or anyone else.

LF0891

Thank you. The links are very helpful.

SanDiegogirl

You are going to find that while you may get some home care help with him, the majority of the cost of a home or nursing home is going to be down to him or you.

There is a new service being introduced called 'continuous care' which some people can qualify for.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social...ng-healthcare/

Your father will have to be assessed for any services.

Has he any savings/monies of his own?

angie_329

Here is a website for helping those with Parkinsons- https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/

Your father will need an assessment ( written) by social services on arrival though having one already from SA would he helpful,
Possibly with no assets or savings he will get care on the state, but get advice on this. He may have to show he is ordinarily resident in UK for some benefits.

The care homes in South Africa are a lot cheaper than the UK as paying in Rand and some are very good. I researched this for someone once. Also a good friend of mine living in UK from SA had her father in a care home there for some years as he had dementia. Or possibly day care or respite so his partner has some support and then can manage having him at home?

Would it be better for him and the family for him to stay in SA and you all chip in for the costs? Travelling may be difficult for him and he may need clearance from a doctor for the airline and an escort.

Plus depending on his circumstances you will have to deal with financial emigration (SA UK tax issues) at some point and it sounds like you may need a power of attorney if his dementia is advanced . In UK going to the court of protection for getting power of attorney after someone is no longer capable is very lengthy and difficult.

So apart from the care aspect the legal and guardianship aspects of moving country need to be looked into.

angie_329

some more info from Age Concern about moving badk to the UK

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information...broad-heading/

SanDiegogirl

Must say I agree with this. The OP, having lived in SA all his life, probably has some pension/investments and costs of a care home would be much cheaper than in the UK

Pulaski

I agree, I can't begin to imagine how stressful it would be for someone with advanced Parkinson's disease to be involuntarily transported thousands of miles to a country that he hasn't lived in for a number of decades. While there are obvious practical issues to making such a move, to me it would be verging on cruelty to move someone to another country under the circumstances of advanced and terminal illness.