Going abroad when receiving Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit

HotMocha

My mum receives Pension Credit (PC) and Attendance Allowance (AA).
My mum wants to go abroad to see her elderly mum who is quite ill.
My mum has rang the PC line and she was told she could go for 4 weeks before her benefits are affected.
However she has been told by a family friend who also claims PC and AA that she can go for 13 weeks before her benefits are affected.

I've looked online and I can see on info relating to PC or states you can go abroad for 4 weeks, and info pertaining to AA it states you can go abroad for 13 weeks.

My mum would like to make the most of visiting her mum for a number of reasons, and would like to stay for 4-6 weeks.
Firstly because her mum is in her 90's and is quite ill, so this may be the last time she gets to see her.
Also the plane ticket cost alone is over £600, so she can't afford to go frequently.

Does anyone know if you can go abroad for longer than 4 weeks if you're on PC and AA?

Thanks in advance.

sleepless_saver

"If you leave Great Britain temporarily, your PC can continue to be paid as normal, but not for longer than:
 4 weeks where the absence is not expected to exceed 4 weeks
 8 weeks where the absence is not expected to exceed 8 weeks and is in connection with the death of your partner or another close relative you normally live with
 26 weeks where the absence is not expected to exceed 26 weeks and is solely in connection with you, your partner or your child receiving medical treatment
You must intend to return within these periods at the date of departure.
However, there is no limit to the number of times you can use these rules. For example, you can have several periods abroad each year,
providing each period does not exceed 4 weeks."
Source Age UK factsheet on pension credit page 28

I think it used to be 13 weeks but it changed in 2016.

sheramber

The Pension Credit limit will kick in at 4 weeks, the AA limit will kick in at 13 weeks.

So she would lose Pension Credit after 4 weeks.

TELLIT01

It's not a case of check which benefit permits the longest absence and use that as the basis for all benefits. Each benefit has its own rules and sheramber's explanation is correct.