Would elderly widower lose household package if son returned home?

gm88

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My elderly uncle lives alone, widowed & over 80 years of age. His son is thinking of retiring & moving back into the family home. He is almost 60 and has worked abroad all his life. Never married.

I was wondering if my uncle would lose any benefits or household benefits if this were to happen as he'd no longer be living alone.
 
There are some exceptions to having to live alone.

Excepted people are:

A qualified adult (your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is considered a qualified adult if you are receiving an allowance for him/her with your payment or if he or she earns less than €310, including income from a social welfare payment)

Dependent child(ren) under the age of 18 or under the age of 22 if in full-time education (a certificate from the school/college must be supplied for those aged 18 or over)

A person who is so incapacitated as to require constant care and attention for at least 12 months (medical certification may be required)

A person(s) who would qualify for the allowance in his/her own right (for example, a person getting an State Pension)

A person who is providing you or someone in your household with constant care and attention if you or that person is so incapacitated as to require constant care and attention for at least 12 months (medical certification may be required). People in employment for more than 15 hours per week or people getting Jobseeker's Benefit/Jobseeker's Allowance cannot be accepted as providing constant full-time care and attention.
 
Does your Uncle get Fuel Allowance and/or Living alone allowance? He would probably loose these.
 
I was wondering if my uncle would lose any benefits or household benefits if this were to happen as he'd no longer be living alone.

He would definitely loose the living alone allowance and possibly the fuel allowance, depending on the son’s circumstances.

Of far more significance though would be his Home Care Package, if this is the package you are referring to. These are subject to regular reviews, usually by the public health nurse. http://www.hse.ie/go/homecarepackages/

The PHN would probably decide your uncle’s needs can now be met by his son and allocate these hours to a needier person.

I have an elderly relative that lives alone who was assessed and granted a package of 1 morning hour and 1 evening hour, seven days a week, to help with getting dressed/undressed, washing etc. If a healthy family member was to move in, then I would be sure this package would be withdrawn and rightly so.
 
Perhaps there is some confusion re the various benefits

1. He will retain his Household Benefit Package (TV and electricity) as he is over 70.
2. He will loose his Living Alone allowance as he will no longer be living alone.

3. He will loose his Fuel Allowance unless his son has a qualifying payment (which is unlikely)

As there has been no mention of health issues at the moment a care package would not appear to be an issue. Perhaps his son could be his carer if or when required
 
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