Hospital stays and your benefits :Cross Stitch – Disabled people

Going into hospital may affect any benefits you receive, including Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit. If someone receives Carer’s Allowance because they are caring for you, this may also be affected if you go into hospital.

If you go into hospital, nothing will usually happen to your Disability Living Allowance (DLA) straight away.

If DLA is paid for someone aged 16 or over, it will usually stop after the person has been in hospital for four weeks.

If DLA is paid for a child under 16, it will usually stop after the child has been in hospital for 12 weeks.

Attendance Allowance will usually stop after you have been in hospital for four weeks.

Employment Support Allowance or Incapacity Benefit will not be affected during a stay in hospital, but certain additions may be affected.

If someone receives Carer’s Allowance because they are caring for you, this can continue for up to 12 weeks if either:

• you go into hospital
• your carer goes into hospital

Carer’s Allowance will stop if your Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance stops. This is normally after you have been in hospital for four weeks.

Carers must tell the Disability and Carers Service if they, or the person they care for, go into or come out of hospital. Carers can report a hospital stay online using the Carer’s Allowance e-service. The can also contact the Carer’s Allowance unit at the Disability and Carers Service.