Going into hospital

If you are going into hospital, you should immediately notify the Department for Work and Pensions and the council office that deals with your claims for Housing and Council Tax benefit.

This is important as, in most cases, your benefit entitlement will have to be reassessed to take account of your new circumstances.

If you were not claiming any form of benefit before you went into hospital, you may now be entitled to claim.

When you come out of hospital, you should notify both the Department for Work and Pensions and the council office that deals with your claims for Housing and Council Tax Benefit.

This is important as you will need to have your benefit reassessed when you return home. You may also be entitled to other benefits if you have become disabled as a result of your illness.

Hospital downrating rule

From 10 April 2006, your Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit will no longer be reduced after you have been in hospital for 52 weeks or longer. The rule which linked together periods of in-patient treatment of less than eight weeks has also been abolished.

For technical reasons, the linking rule will continue to apply to non-dependents for benefit related to housing costs.

However, some benefits will continue to be lost after much shorter periods in hospital and different rules apply to Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.

Temporary absence rule

While the hospital downrating rule has been abolished, the temporary absence rule remains. Benefit can only normally be paid for a temporary absence lasting not more than 52 weeks.

Useful External Links

The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

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