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Hospital stays and your benefits

Going into hospital may affect any benefits you receive, including Disability Living Allowance, Attendance 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.

Disability Living Allowance

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

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

Employment and Support Allowance

If you are admitted to hospital your Employment and Support Allowance may be affected after a period of four weeks if you receive additional premiums on your award. If you claim as part of a couple, further changes may occur after a period of 52 weeks in hospital.

Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit will usually stop after you have been in hospital for 52 weeks.

Carer's Allowance

If someone receives Carer's Allowance because they are caring for you, this can continue for up to 12 weeks if you - or they - go into hospital. However, their 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 Disability and Carers Service if they, or the person they care for, go into or come out of hospital.

Reporting hospital stays

You must tell the relevant office at the Social Security Agency as soon as you go into or come out of hospital. You must also tell them if someone you get benefit for goes into or comes out of hospital.

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