Northern Ireland

Jim Wells says he may have to sell home to cover cost of wife's care after DUP deselection

Mr Wells spoke about the financial challenges he faces as he steps away from politics after almost 40 years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Mr Wells spoke about the financial challenges he faces as he steps away from politics after almost 40 years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Mr Wells spoke about the financial challenges he faces as he steps away from politics after almost 40 years. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

JIM Wells has told of how he may have to sell his home of 36 years to cover the cost of his wife's care after he was deselected as a DUP assembly member.

The former health minister (64) said he could face "difficult decisions" in a bid to be able to pay the £4,000 monthly bill for the care facility that Grace lives in.

It comes after the veteran politician was not selected by the DUP to run in south Down in the forthcoming Assembly election. On Friday, party officers chose Diane Forsythe ahead of Edwin Poots to run in the constituency.

Mr Wells spoke about the financial challenges he faces as he steps away from politics after almost 40 years.

He said while he could cover the monthly care bill for his wife for around a year after his salary stops, a decision about selling their home to help cover costs may have to be taken.

"I have savings. I have saved for a rainy day, but I didn’t think this would be the rainy day," he said.

"The Assembly does give you a small redundancy payment, so that can be used.

"The pension will help, but ultimately the house will have to be sold."

Mr Wells said while he will try to put the sale of their home "on the long finger for as long as we can"..."eventually the chickens will come home to roost".

"The cost of the care is £43,000 per year, which is a considerable amount for one person to pay," he said.

"It has gone up way ahead of inflation because care homes are suffering greatly.

"They are having huge problems attracting staff, and because of coronavirus they have paid massive amounts in overtime and on PPE.

"Because my wife is a self-funder, we pay every penny of her care. If your home is worth more than £23,250 you pay everything.

"That figure is quite frankly ridiculous as it was set decades ago. You’d hardly get a garage for that these days, so all of my Assembly salary, plus savings, go towards her care.

"Very good care it is too, and I live off her small teacher’s pension," he told Sunday Life.

He said his wife was only 56 when she suffered a stroke and "could spend 30 years in a care home".

"I was fortunate that I was in a job where I can pay the vast bulk of it out of my salary," he added.

"I really do feel for people who have put all their life savings into their home and suddenly discover it is a liability rather than an asset.

"If nothing else, this has shown me what other families are facing throughout Northern Ireland."