What A Way To Trat Our Heroes.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2284673/World-War-Two-heros-family-forced-sell-medals-pay-heros-care-home-fees.html

Why should his family be forced to sell these personal artefacts so as to pay for his care home fees, I was under the impression that one could retain a certain amount off cash from one's estate, surely such treasures are not part of one's estate?

[anotheoldgit]

That of course should be treat.

[Kathyan]

serving your country means nothing to our governments!

[factor-fiction]

I don't know the details but I assume the case is being dealt with in the same way as an identical case where the person wasn't a war hero. I'm not sure why a war hero should be treated any differently,

[Barmaid]

The family are not being forced. They have chosen to do so so that he can live his days out in a pleasant private facility rather than, I assume a private home.

There are a couple of points here. He has Alzheimers. Depending on the degree of his disability an assessment would probably mean that he is entitled to NHS funded care.

Even if he is NOT entitled to NHS care, under the Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidance personal possessions such as antiques and paintings (and these medals are certainly antique personal possessions) are indefinitely disregarded in ascertaining the capital owned by a person for assessing whether they should make a contribution.

[Barmaid]

Sorry, rather, than I assume a "Council" home.

[THECORBYLOON]

The limit is £23,250, the medals are as much a part of the estate as a valuable work of art and the family has no issues in having to sell them.

[factor-fiction]

Isn't this a bit of a non-story? Am I missing something?

[Barmaid]

But they are disregarded anyway TCL.

[anotheoldgit]

factor-fiction

/// Isn't this a bit of a non-story? Am I missing something? ///

Obviously but don't bother taxing your brain, just ignore it and go on and make similar remarks on the other numerous 'Non-Stories' one encounters on this site, if that's what floats your boat.

[factor-fiction]

Thanks. Will do.

Just me check though before I go for a lie down:

>Why should his family be forced to sell these personal artefacts so as to pay for his care home fees,.
They weren't forced to

>I was under the impression that one could retain a certain amount off cash from one's estate, surely such treasures are not part of one's estate?
You are right - a certain amount can be retained and the medals are disregarded in the assessment.

As far as can see he hasn't been treated any less favourably than any one else in the same position.

[Prudie]

Sooner or later someone in his family is going to sell them anyway, better they're used to give him some benefit. I don't think it's any worse than all the other elderly people who have to sell up their homes to pay for care.

[pdq1]

Many of these war heroes think their name and exploits will live in the minds of future generations forever. However that is rarely the case and two generations down the line will almost treat the bravery with contempt. You can see this in antigue programs where medals are sold for less than £100. The fact tha the sale of this mans medals wll only pay for 6 years of residential care says it all. It also says something about the country that discards its war heroes who often die in abject poverty.

[Barmaid]

I'm guessing the research I did fell on deaf ears.

[maggiebee]

I read it with interest barmaid - I find the very few people read through all the replies on this site, hence so much duplication

[Peter Pedant]

no barmaid what you say neva falls on deaf ears

[FredPuli43]

It does Barmaid, but only because somebody doesn't understand that the word 'forced' was chosen by the Daily Mail to spice up the story and get its readers enraged. Regularly readers should have learned to ignore this tactic, but they never do, apparently.

[Barmaid]

This story by the DM has been trotted out because the auctioneers have tried to create interest. It's a superb bit of marketing even if it is a pile of nonsense.

Thank you Peter, Fred and Maggie.

PDQ, I have to take issue with the idea that 2 generations down the line their exploits will be disregarded. My grandfather is a war hero. (He's a hero to me irrespective of what he did in the war). He is 88. And only recently he showed us his medals - which were still in the original envelopes they were sent to him. They are now safely locked away in a safe. In October we are taking him and my grandmother back to Anzio where he can pay his respects to his fallen comrades.

Selling his medals is not an option for us (but we are in the lucky position that we could afford to pay for care were it needed).

I cried when he told me (on first seeing his medals) that they are mine when he passes. That means a lot. Not all second generations don't give a stuff.

[bednobs]

i find it really odd termonology that his family are being "forced" to liquidate his assets to pay for six years care - after all, at 93 years old, with a degenerative disease like alzheimers, it's odds on he wont need to pay for six years care. If they were that worried about selling them, sell off one or 2 and then the rest if he does survive

[Barmaid]

It's nonsense, bednobs. They are not being "forced" to do anything. The key is he is in a PRIVATE care home. The family have taken the view that they would rather pay for his care and keep him in a private care home and if this means selling his medals, so be it. I suspect it's a clever marketing spin on the part of the auctioneers to generate a lot of interest - which it has. Cynical me but there is no "forcing" about this. Typical Daily Wail.

[FredPuli43]

Well spotted, BM ! Dix Noonan Webb are colourful performers in this field; not difficult when the rest are so painfully British and reserved. Entering one famous one in London, one feels a distinct need to converse in whispers, the air being that of some peculiarly antiquated St James's club.The hands of the press department may be seen all over this. And if the publicity brings bidders from outside normal collecting circles, who might never know of or bid for such a thing, and gets them bidding purely for sentimental reasons,to help the family, say, that will certainly drive the hammer price up.