If you receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions, your payments could be reduced or stopped if you go into hospital and fail to report this to the authorities.
Millions of people across the UK claim State Pension or benefits such as Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Attendance Allowance. However, the DWP may cut, pause or even stop your payments if you go into hospital.
Going into hospital for even just one night and failing to inform the right benefit department may result in your payments being reduced or stopped, reports the Daily Record. The DWP has provided guidance on the GOV.UK website on what claimants need to do if they are admitted to hospital and may miss a Jobcentre Plus appointment.
Read More: Eight ways DWP can gather evidence when probing whether claimants have committed benefit fraud
However, they also have a warning which states: “Your claim might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a hospital stay.” Here is more information about going into hospital if you’re claiming benefits.
DWP guidance states that you must tell the office that pays your benefit as soon as possible if you:
go into hospital for one night or longer
go into a care home or rehabilitation centre for one night or longer
will miss a Jobcentre Plus appointment because you’re in hospital or have a medical appointment
However, if you are unable to contact the relevant department yourself, DWP says that a friend or relative can call them for you.
What you need to tell DWP
You will need to give your:
full name
date of birth
National Insurance number
partner’s details - if they are on your claim
And if you’re calling on behalf of a friend or relative, you need to give your name and contact details too.
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What happens if you go into hospital?
You need to give details about your stay in hospital, including:
the exact date you went into hospital
the exact date you left hospital - if you have left
the name of the hospital you were in
the name of the ward you were on - if you know it
if you moved between hospitals
any other hospital stays in the last 28 days
where you were discharged to, for example your home or a care home
How to report your hospital stay
DWP guidance states: “Who you tell depends on which benefits you get. You might need to report your change to more than one organisation if you get more than one benefit.” Full details of the numbers to call can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
