Hi Chas2008
With regard to the £50,000 cap the last thing I saw was it was going to be at least 2014 before anything will be done.
I do have great sympathy with some of the children I know.
In one case the daughter got early retirement / redundancy at 56 and she could have got another job at the time.
She did however care for her mother for 5 years almost relying on the mothers house to make up some of her lost earnings / pension.
The mother became unmanageable and he house had to be sold to pay the fees.
Her mother is still in the care home after nearly 3 years.
As Matin said it is probably best to split the house into a Tennants in Common ownership so at least half the house would be secure.
In another case I know of a situation where the mother passed away and the father got took into a care home 3 weeks after it happened and each half of the house was willed to the daughter.
As probate had not been obtained at the time Social Services said none of the house belonged to the daughter and it was all available for fees.
She got a solicitor involved and this was found to be incorrect and she got her half of the house.
Amy