Hospital and benefits - Benefits for a child who is in hospital

When you or a member of your family go into or come out of hospital, the welfare benefits you get may change. What will happen to your benefits depends on the type of benefit you get. A stay in hospital can also affect the benefits your partner or carer gets.

Benefits for a child who is in hospital

If your child usually lives with you but is in hospital, you will stop getting Child Benefit for them after they have been in hospital for 84 days unless you are still needing to pay money for the child's needs.

Child Tax Credit will carry on being paid for a child who normally lives with you, but who is in hospital. Benefit may stop if the child is in hospital for a long period of time. Get advice if this applies to you. You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find a local one.

The Child Element of Universal Credit will carry on being paid for a child who normally lives with you but who is in hospital. The Child Element might stop if the child is likely to be in hospital for more than six months.

Previous Benefits for your children

Next Claiming benefits when you go into hospital

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