Benefits and hospital stay

Shadowkarst

Hey

Early 2017 I was in hospital after an accident that put me in a coma (lucky me!) I was there for a few months I think.

Fast forward to the present and I have just learnt from browsing the web that you don't get benefits if you're in hospital for that long.

I get CA/PIP and I don't believe they were stopped for that period.

Does the DWP have access to hospital records etc?

anmarj

No they don’t have access to the records. Sometimes some hospitals might send notification if they are aware of what benefits in payments, but they are under no obligation to say even if they know what benefits are in payment. DLA stops after 28 days and for carers you actually get 12 weeks as the person who is the carer gets longer as opposed to the disabled person being in hospital

Stop_Watch

However if you don't inform them it is fraud. You got money you was not entitled to.

poppy12345

Shadowkarst wrote: »

Hey

Early 2017 I was in hospital after an accident that put me in a coma (lucky me!) I was there for a few months I think.

Fast forward to the present and I have just learnt from browsing the web that you don't get benefits if you're in hospital for that long.

I get CA/PIP and I don't believe they were stopped for that period.

Does the DWP have access to hospital records etc?

If your benefits continued longer than they should have been while you were in hospital, then you really need to ring DWP and tell them. Rather that than they find out sometime in the future.

Shadowkarst

anmarj wrote: »

No they don’t have access to the records. Sometimes some hospitals might send notification if they are aware of what benefits in payments, but they are under no obligation to say even if they know what benefits are in payment. DLA stops after 28 days and for carers you actually get 12 weeks as the person who is the carer gets longer as opposed to the disabled person being in hospital

Oh right I see. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that hospitals could be aware of what benefits you get, maybe doctors/nurses ask you about it? I was in a coma so I guess they couldnt ask me lol.

[Deleted User]

Some benefits when you apply or are re-assessed ask if you have had a stay in hospital in the last 12 months.

Shadowkarst

poppy12345 wrote: »

If your benefits continued longer than they should have been while you were in hospital, then you really need to ring DWP and tell them. Rather that than they find out sometime in the future.

Good advice and I shall do so, I am just curious as to what system they have in place to find out when people have been in hospital for too long etc.

I mean to compare if you were working and didn't tell them they could easily find that out but being in hospital I just don't understand how they monitor that sort of thing.

anmarj

not entirely sure how they are aware, I know sometimes forms come through with the name of benefit on it, so it will be down to the individual hospital policies if they ask/record it.

Murphybear

Shadowkarst wrote: »

Oh right I see. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that hospitals could be aware of what benefits you get, maybe doctors/nurses ask you about it? I was in a coma so I guess they couldnt ask me lol.

I was in hospital for a month following a nasty infection and 6 seizures. Nobody asked me about benefits at all, they were more interested in getting me well.

pmlindyloo

This is really straightforward and has very little/nothing to do with the hospital staff notifying the DWP. I suspect that unless another agency is involved - social services for example- there would be no way the hospital would know what benefits the patient was on.

When the OP claimed Carer's allowance they signed to say...

I understand that I must promptly tell the office that pays my Carer’s Allowance of anything that may affect my entitlement to, or the amount of, that benefit.

I am also sure there is a similar statement on a PIP award letter.

Carer's allowance may be paid up to 12 weeks if the carer goes into hospital. PIP would end after 28 days.

It is up to every claimant to notify any benefit department of a change of circumstances.

Whether the OP gets 'found out' if they don't do this is another matter entirely. Unless someone 'dobs' them in then I doubt they would find out. The OP knows they should notify the departments. Enough said.