Adult social care Sheffield: Anger as council fails to pay costs as couple’s savings dwindle away

But now their family say they have been failed by Sheffield Council – after the authority failed to step in and pay John's care home fees despite those life savings having been whittled away by the costs of care after both were hit by dementia.

John, who worked as a structural engineer for British Steel, and Sylvia’s home has already been sold to pay for their care at Treeton Grange in Rotherham. They moved there from Darnall View care home 18 months ago after John’s condition deteriorated. Both John and Sylvia live there together.

The council is now paying Sylvia’s fees.

But when daughter Karen Smith, from Waterthorpe, told the authority the couple’s savings had now dropped below the threshold at which the council is obliged to pay their care costs, nothing happened – and it was the family who were expected to keep paying for John.

Karen is angry about the way her dad has been treated by Sheffield Council.

She said Sylvia and John, both aged 86, had initially paid their own fees. The council now pays for Sylvia. Their savings have been whittled away below the £46,500 (two times £23,250) threshold, so the council is supposed to pay, says Karen.

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She informed the council their money had gone below the threshold in September 2021, but says the council is still not paying for her father.

She said she received an apology from the authority in May – but the problem was not solved.

John’s fees are £3,500 a month.

He suffered a stroke six years ago. It brought on vascular dementia.

Their home was sold when he went into care. He has paid over £65,000 in care fees already

Karen said the council wrote to the care home saying it would not be paying for her dad’s fees.

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She said: “He’s got dementia – I’ve got power of attorney. But I’ve been sent letters saying they can’t do anything, because dad has to phone people. He cannot do that. But it feels like they have not been listening.

"Dad is still having to pay. It has been 10 months.

"I don’t know why it has taken so long. There is nothing complicated about this. It’s a shambles.”

"The Council originally paid some money, and then asked for it back. But they have never given us anything in writing.

"It was in September when the money went below the threshold – but 10 months later dad is still paying his fees.”

She has contacted the local government ombudsman about the matter, and her MP.

“This has affected my mental health and has caused insurmountable stress,” she said.

“Apologies are one thing, but I need a resolution for both myself and my parents whose final years' residential placement hangs in the balance. I am despairing at the way the council has dealt with this situation.”

Alexis Chappell, Sheffield Council’s director of adult social care, said: “We apologise for the delays, which were due to an administrative error, and for the stress that this has caused. We are committed to making sure that any outstanding issues are resolved immediately by working closely with the family.”