
Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who are disabled, have reached pension age, and need help taking care of themselves. It is important to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about any changes in your condition or hospital stays, as these may affect your allowance. If you go into an NHS hospital, your Attendance Allowance payments will typically stop after 28 days. However, if you are terminally ill and admitted to a hospice, your payments will usually continue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can claim Attendance Allowance | Disabled people who have reached pension age and need help to look after themselves |
| Conditions to claim Attendance Allowance | Need to satisfy residence and presence tests, i.e., be present in Great Britain for two out of the last three years before claiming and be habitually resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland or the Isle of Man |
| Claim process | Call and ask for a form AA1, or download an Attendance Allowance form |
| Time taken to process the claim | If the completed form is returned within six weeks, it will be backdated to the day it was asked for |
| Circumstances under which Attendance Allowance stops | If the recipient is in hospital and comes back out, but then goes back within 28 days, these periods in hospital will be 'linked' and added together. The allowance stops after 28 days of linked time in the hospital |
| Action required when going into hospital | Inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as soon as possible |
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What You'll Learn

Attendance Allowance stops after 28 days in hospital
If you are receiving Attendance Allowance and go into an NHS hospital, your payments will normally stop after 28 days. Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who need help looking after themselves due to their health or a terminal illness and are State Pension age or older. It is important to note that if you are terminally ill and go into a hospice, your Attendance Allowance payments will usually continue.
It is crucial to inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about any changes in your condition or circumstances, including hospital stays. If you go into hospital or a care home, you must provide the address, dates of your stay, and how your stay is paid for. Failing to report changes or providing incorrect information may result in penalties or legal consequences.
When calculating the 28-day period, the day you go into the hospital and the day you leave are not counted. If you leave the hospital but return within 28 days, these periods are considered linked and added together. This means that your Attendance Allowance will stop during the linked period. However, if you are out of the hospital for more than 28 days, the linked period ends, and a new one will start if you are admitted to the hospital again.
It is important to keep the DWP informed about your hospital stays to ensure you receive the correct amount of Attendance Allowance and avoid overpayments. Your Attendance Allowance payments will resume from the day you leave the hospital.
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Payments resume after leaving hospital
If you are receiving Attendance Allowance and go into hospital, your payments will usually stop after 28 days. If you are terminally ill and go into a hospice, your Attendance Allowance payments will normally continue.
If you go back into hospital or a care home within 28 days of leaving, it counts as part of the same stay, and your Attendance Allowance payments will stop again. If you are staying in hospital or a care home for longer than 28 days, you must tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if you go home at all, even for a short period.
If you are discharged from the hospital after 28 days, your Attendance Allowance payments will resume from the day you leave. When calculating the 28-day period, do not count the day you go into the hospital or the day you are discharged. If you are discharged from the hospital and readmitted within 28 days, these periods will be "'linked'" and added together. If you are out of the hospital for more than 28 days, the linked period will end, and a new linked period will start if you are readmitted.
It is important to keep the DWP informed of any dates you go into or are discharged from the hospital to ensure you receive the correct Attendance Allowance amount and do not have to pay back any overpayments.
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Notify DWP of hospital stays
If you are receiving Attendance Allowance and need to go to hospital, it is important to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as soon as possible. Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people who need help with their day-to-day needs due to a disability or terminal illness and are State Pension age or older.
- Report Hospital Stays: It is important to inform the DWP if you need to go to hospital or a care home. Provide them with the address, dates of your stay, and how your stay is being paid for. This information can help ensure that your benefits are correctly adjusted and you don't face overpayment issues.
- Timing of Notification: Notify the DWP as soon as possible when you know about your hospital stay. This allows them to make any necessary adjustments to your Attendance Allowance. If you notify them late, you may end up with overpayments and have to pay back some benefits.
- 28-Day Rule: Your Attendance Allowance will typically stop after you have been in the hospital for 28 consecutive days. If you leave the hospital before 28 days and then return within 28 days of leaving, your previous and new hospital stays will be linked and considered part of the same stay. This means that your Attendance Allowance will stop during this linked period.
- Restart of Payments: Once you are discharged from the hospital, your Attendance Allowance payments will usually restart from the day you leave. If you are out of the hospital for more than 28 days, the linked period ends, and a new linked period will start if you are admitted to the hospital again.
- Condition Changes: If your condition changes during your hospital stay, be sure to inform the DWP. This can impact your Attendance Allowance. You may need to provide details on how your needs have changed, such as the amount of help you require each day.
- Contact Methods: You can notify the DWP of your hospital stay by calling their Attendance Allowance helpline or using their textphone, Relay UK, or British Sign Language video relay services, depending on your needs and preferences.
Remember, it is always best to keep the DWP informed about your hospital stays and any changes in your condition to ensure you receive the correct amount of Attendance Allowance and avoid potential issues with overpayments.
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Linked hospital stays are added together
If you go into hospital, your Attendance Allowance payments will stop after 28 days. If you are terminally ill and go into a hospice, your Attendance Allowance payments will usually continue.
If you go back into hospital within 28 days of leaving, it counts as part of the same stay, and your Attendance Allowance will stop. These periods in hospital are considered linked and are added together. For example, if you go back into the hospital 25 days after leaving, the three days you spent at home will be counted as part of the same stay, and your Attendance Allowance will stop.
If you are in and out of the hospital over a few months, with less than 28 days between each hospital stay, these periods will be linked and added together. Once you reach a total of 28 days of linked time in the hospital, your Attendance Allowance will stop. Your Attendance Allowance will start again from the day you leave the hospital.
If you are out of the hospital for more than 28 days, the linked period will end. A new linked period will start if you go back into the hospital. It is important to keep the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) informed of any dates you go in and out of the hospital to ensure you receive the correct amount of Attendance Allowance and do not have to pay any money back.
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Notify DWP of any change in condition
It is important to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of any change in condition that might affect your Attendance Allowance. This includes if you go into hospital or a care home, as well as any changes to the level of help you need. You will need to provide details such as the address, dates of your stay, and how your stay is paid for. It is recommended to keep the DWP informed of any dates you go in and out of the hospital to ensure you receive the correct amount of Attendance Allowance and avoid overpayment. Overpayment may result in having to pay back benefits to the DWP.
If you are unsure whether a change will affect your allowance, it is advised to inform the DWP anyway. You can notify the DWP by calling the Attendance Allowance helpline or using the Relay UK or British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you have difficulty hearing or speaking on the phone. Additionally, keeping a diary of your day-to-day needs can be helpful when explaining fluctuations in your needs over time.
It is worth noting that your Attendance Allowance will stop after being in the hospital for 28 consecutive days. If you go back into the hospital within 28 days of leaving, it is considered part of the same stay. However, your allowance will resume from the day you leave the hospital.
Reporting changes in your circumstances is crucial to ensure you continue receiving the correct amount of benefits. Failure to report changes promptly or providing incorrect information may result in your claim being reduced or stopped. It is important to be transparent about any changes to avoid issues such as overpayment or benefit fraud.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, your Attendance Allowance payments will normally stop after 28 days in hospital.
If you leave the hospital and go back in within 28 days, your Attendance Allowance will stop again as soon as you are staying in the hospital again.
If you are terminally ill and go into a hospice, your Attendance Allowance payments will normally continue.
You should inform the DWP of any dates you go in and out of the hospital. You should also tell them if your condition changes.
Your Attendance Allowance will be paid again from the day you leave the hospital.























