Hospital and DLA Mobility

Thevegetarian

Can you give me some advice please? My brother had a stroke just before Christmas last year, and ended up in hospital until the end of February about 9 to 10 weeks in total. He was before the stroke receiving DLA Mobility component at the higher rate. He told me earlier on today that they have stopped paying him this money. He is so confused I cannot get any sense out of him. I have asked him if he has had paperwork from the Benefit Agency to confirm that they have indeed stopped his Mobility but he tells me no. Can anyone tell me if this could be correct?

incorrect_2

I may be wrong but, I think after four weeks in hospital they do stop your payments

MrsManda

As incorrect said, you should tell the DWP if you go into/come out of hospital as DLA is stopped if you're in hospital for more than 4 weeks. Though I think it gets reinstated once you leave hospital providing you still meet the criteria.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/HealthAndSupport/Hospitals/DG_4000474

If no one told the DWP that he was in hospital then he may have been overpaid and that's why the payments have stopped since he came out. He needs to contact them and find out what he should do to get it reinstated.

Anubis_2

It should be reinstated without having to reapply providing there has been no improvement. They take DLA away if you are in hospital more than 4 weeks.

It also used to be that the car could be kept, but it appears recent changes mean they take the car too in cases where motability is used to get a car. That, I would imagine, is going to end up costing more.

anguk

Anubis wrote: »

It should be reinstated without having to reapply providing there has been no improvement. They take DLA away if you are in hospital more than 4 weeks.

It also used to be that the car could be kept, but it appears recent changes mean they take the car too in cases where motability is used to get a car. That, I would imagine, is going to end up costing more.

I can see it costing more too, they also take the car away while you're appealing a decision. So they've got the costs of taking it away, selling it, then going through getting another car when DLA is reinstated. You'd think they'd have some arrangement where you could at least pay the weekly amount yourself while you were in hospital or going through an appeal.

You could have the daft situation where you're in hospital for 5 weeks so DLA stops and the car is taken away all for the sake of 1 week and then it's reinstated.

fogartyblue.

Absolutely correct - 4 weeks and it will stop. You must notify them when you go into hospital. Likewise, if Motability are involved then the car will be removed.
It is quite common now in these cases for the Disability & Carers Service to require a review of the DLA entitlement.
This requires a new claim/review pack.
They say that it is to see if there has been a deterioration of health etc. In reality they are as likely to review it to see if it can be reduced/removed.

Unfortunately where age is involved, those over 65 but being awarded HRM previously, if you fail the review then you will never be able to reclaim and the Motability car would be a distant memory!
If you lose the Care element, things aren't too bad - you can claim Attendance Allowance instead.

How this is going to be affected with PIP in the future who knows.
If you are under 65 and the DLA is suspended, would you have to reclaim using a review pack but of PIP instead of DLA!!

Worrying times especially for those approaching 65 in a few years time. Just hope and pray that you have no need to spend more than 3 weeks and 6 days in hospital!!

fogartyblue.

anguk wrote: »

I can see it costing more too, they also take the car away while you're appealing a decision. So they've got the costs of taking it away, selling it, then going through getting another car when DLA is reinstated. You'd think they'd have some arrangement where you could at least pay the weekly amount yourself while you were in hospital or going through an appeal.

You could have the daft situation where you're in hospital for 5 weeks so DLA stops and the car is taken away all for the sake of 1 week and then it's reinstated.

If it is re-instated!!! We are not looking at just a form asking for the original award to start up again, but a review pack of the whole award requiring evidence to prove continuing needs at the same level as before.

There are no guarantees.

anguk

fogartyblue. wrote: »

Absolutely correct - 4 weeks and it will stop. You must notify them when you go into hospital. Likewise, if Motability are involved then the car will be removed.
It is quite common now in these cases for the Disability & Carers Service to require a review of the DLA entitlement.
This requires a new claim/review pack.
They say that it is to see if there has been a deterioration of health etc. In reality they are as likely to review it to see if it can be reduced/removed.

Unfortunately where age is involved, those over 65 but being awarded HRM previously, if you fail the review then you will never be able to reclaim and the Motability car would be a distant memory!
If you lose the Care element, things aren't too bad - you can claim Attendance Allowance instead.

How this is going to be affected with PIP in the future who knows.
If you are under 65 and the DLA is suspended, would you have to reclaim using a review pack but of PIP instead of DLA!!

Worrying times especially for those approaching 65 in a few years time. Just hope and pray that you have no need to spend more than 3 weeks and 6 days in hospital!!

I can imagine people leaving hospital before they really should just so they don't have to go through the hassle of losing DLA, their car and having to reclaim.

And I can never understand why you can only get DLA and help with mobility if you're under 65? Are you not allowed to be disabled after that age or is it a case of well you're a pensioner now you should expect to find it difficult to get around? I can understand that attitude years ago but most 65 year olds are quite sprightly now unless they've got some sort of problem that they could get at any age.

Anubis_2

fogartyblue. wrote: »

If it is re-instated!!! We are not looking at just a form asking for the original award to start up again, but a review pack of the whole award requiring evidence to prove continuing needs at the same level as before.

There are no guarantees.

There should be no review if there has been no improvement and the hospital confirm. You can get it reinstated over the phone, confirmation in writing, - I have done it myself recently. They are paid back immediately.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/information__resources/benefits/illness,_injury_and_disability/benefits_and_hospital.aspx

fogartyblue.

It really is giving cause to serious concern amongst those that are not very well and getting on in years.

There may come a time when all of this is just too much for some and that they will just not bother asking for review after review after every hospital stay of 4 weeks or more.

It seems that the government's intention is to take up every opportunity now to re-look at as many DLA awards, using hospitalisation as an excuse.
This will affect those of later years as if they had HRM, and happen to become 65, they will only have one chance to claim it back. Those under 65 would be able to keep putting in repeat claims.

It seems that the elderly and infirm are going to suffer more than any other group.

anguk

fogartyblue. wrote: »

If it is re-instated!!! We are not looking at just a form asking for the original award to start up again, but a review pack of the whole award requiring evidence to prove continuing needs at the same level as before.

There are no guarantees.

True but I would think where you've got a case of someone having a stroke needing 9/10 weeks in hospital it's more likely that their needs are more now than before.