Hospital and benefits - Benefits that stop being paid if you go into hospital

There are different rules on when benefits stop. 

If you are aged 18 or over

The payments below will stop after you’ve been in hospital for 28 days:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Adults
• Attendance Allowance (AA)
• Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP)
• Scottish Adult DLA (SADLA) 

If your PIP, ADP, DLA, AA, PADP or SADLA payments stop, they will be paid again as soon as you come out of hospital. You don't lose your entitlement.

If you are under the age of 18 

The payments below will not stop when you enter hospital, they will continue to be paid:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
• Child Disability Payment (CDP)
• Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 

Leaving hospital

You need to tell the agency that pays your benefit when you leave hospital. If you have to go back into hospital within 28 days, your benefit will stop again. You will need to let the DWP, Social Security Scotland or the local authority that you have gone back into hospital again.

If you were living in a care home 

If you were living in a care home before going into hospital and your payment of DLA care component, SADLA care component, PIP daily living component, PADP or AA had stopped, you will not be paid when you go into hospital. Also, after 28 days in hospital, payment of the mobility component of DLA or PIP will stop.

If you are terminally ill  

If you have a terminal illness and are in a hospice, you can continue to be paid: 

• Personal Independence Allowance (PIP)
• Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
• Child Disability Payment (CDP)
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) 
• Attendance Allowance (AA)
• Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP)
• Scottish Adult DLA (SADLA)

Motability scheme

If you have a car through the Motability scheme and are likely to be in hospital for more than 28 days, you should tell Motability.