Change of circumstances: Hospital admission

Most benefits are affected at some point when a person receives free in-patient treatment in a HS hospital or a HS contractual bed in a private hospital.

Therefore admission into hospital by a customer, partner/(adult dependant) or dependent child must be notified immediately.

Similarly discharge from hospital must also be notified.

Any periods of home leave given to a hospital in-patient should also be notified because they can affect the amount of benefit payable.

Consideration must be given to the appointment of an Appointee if the customer cannot manage their own affairs, or an agent if the customer can manage their own affairs but cannot collect the benefit.

If the patient is discharged from hospital but is re-admitted within 28 days the periods are added together to calculate the date from which benefit is to be adjusted. This is known as the linking period.

If the customer's benefit or other income is reduced because of their or their partner's admission into hospital they may be entitled to Income Support . Help may also be available with fares to and from hospital as an in-patient, when the patient is discharged, and for relatives visiting hospital providing Income Support/Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) is in payment to the relative.

• Read more on Income Support

If the patient is expected to remain in hospital for a long time AND it is likely that they will have a degree of disability when discharged, consideration should be given to making a claim for Disability Living Allowance. Although the care component/mobility component will not be payable whilst the patient is in hospital if it is awarded it will be payable immediately on discharge.

• Read more on Disability Living Allowance (people with disabilities section)

How admission to hospital may affect you benefit

Sometimes being admitted to hospital may mean that your benefit rate may change. See the table below to check if the benefit you receive is affected:

More useful links

• Read more on how hospital admission affects Attendance Allowance
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Carer's Allowance
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Constant Attendance Allowance
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Disability Living Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance - What to do if your circumstances change
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Housing Benefit - Rent
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Housing Benefit - Rates
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Income Support / Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based)
• Read more on how hospital admission affects Jobseeker's Allowance (Contributions based)
• Read more on how hospital admission affects War Pension