Can you claim any benefits whilst in hospital?

LunaLady

The Child Development Centre (attached to the local hospital) used to have a welfare officer who helped me claim benefits for my DS, she was very busy all around the hospital but used to do an advice clinic once a month.

satarical

RAS wrote: »

Hi

There should be a hospital based social worker who can help out with benefits.

If there is I haven't seen one. My wife has just come out of hossie after 3 weeks with PE and an abscess on her liver. We never saw anyone that resembed a social worker.
Thank goodness that we are already known to SS and have a Care Manager appointed. I telephoned her a couple of days after she came home. She was wonderful with offers of all sorts of help.
If we didn't have that contact - we would have been left to fend for ourselves

She is now going to Kings in London for surgery (up to 3 weeks stay). I will have to see if they come up with any offers of help or just let me try to cope on our own.

.

satarical

LunaLady wrote: »

The Child Development Centre (attached to the local hospital) used to have a welfare officer who helped me claim benefits for my DS, she was very busy all around the hospital but used to do an advice clinic once a month.

You must have a much better health authority then.

Ours is more interested in running it as a business in trying to cut costs (qualified nursing staff v unqualifed health workers) and increasing income (car parking charges topped the UK charts last year with the most amount of money collected by any NHS trust).

LunaLady

She isnt there any more unfortunately, She hasnt been for about 18 months.

LunaLady

satarical wrote: »

You must have a much better health authority then.

Ours is more interested in running it as a business in trying to cut costs (qualified nursing staff v unqualifed health workers) and increasing income (car parking charges topped the UK charts last year with the most amount of money collected by any NHS trust).

One of the hospitals we attend is third, our old hospital is 5th. I am quite glad I dont drive!

satarical

LunaLady wrote: »

I am quite glad I dont drive!

Ummm I know what you mean. Having a Blue Badge is worth it's weight in gold as far as I am concerned. They don't get a penny out of us!

ALIBOBSY

Thanks for all the ideas, I passed them on to his wife who was going to see CAB tomorrow to discuss possible POA action or doing applications for DLA/ESA on his behalf, she also was going to contact the council regarding a discount.

Sadly after a turn for the worse today he is currently in surgery and has only been given a 50/50 chance of survival. The specialist said even if they can stabalise him he will never be 100% and is likely to be in hospital for many months if not a year. So the money issue is the least of our worries at the moment. But thankyou to ev1 who answered.

So will see what happens over the weekend and worry about the benefits once he is (hopefully) in better health.

Ali x

john539

satarical wrote: »

Neither have I. Maybe they now bring a trolley round the wards loaded with application forms. And just maybe, the NHS is funding a benefit advice service for the patients to use.

I was in hossie for 4 months and the last thing I wanted to do was fill out DWP benefit application forms!

But I may be wrong entirely and things have changed - will wait to see what the rest of the crew think.

So will your bills be excused & written off if you tell them you were in hospital.

It may be last thing you want to do, but could be storing up trouble.

satarical

john539 wrote: »

So will your bills be excused & written off if you tell them you were in hospital.

It may be last thing you want to do, but could be storing up trouble.

I was only pointing out that of the two major experiences of being in a hospital (other than the normal week or so every 3/4 months) no one has ever mentioned help with claiming Welfare benefits or indeed help that may be available through Social Services.
I honestly didn't know that you could.

And besides which I can't see it really happening too often. Feeling ill, sick and under medication, I doubt many in-patients would want to think about claiming benefits never mind completing the forms.

Of course debts build up when you are in hospital - that is inevitable. Even the cost of being there is bad enough what with the TV charges etc.

As I have said, my wife is going to Kings in London shortly for 2/3 weeks - I will see if anybody offers that service for her. Visiting her every day will cost a fortune - £33.00 return. Visitors cannot reclaim the travel expenses - but patients can. And hotel costs - well it would be cheaper to buy a tent and sleep under a bridge.

Mojisola

bloolagoon wrote: »

I have to say that not once when myself or my family members have been hospitalised and my father in law was in hospital for over 10 months following a severe car accident, did anyone ask about benefits, nor did it enter our heads.

His SSP ended and yes things were very hard for my mother in law. In fact he sadly passed away and even then they did not assist with any form of financial assistance, despite a close relationship with the family at this point.

On one had it seems a bit off to be thinking of benefits at a time like this but on the other very very practical and assistance should be given if appropriate.

Weren't the hospital social workers involved with your FIL?