Whether or not any benefit has been changed or stopped while you or a dependant have been in hospital, make sure you inform the office that administers each benefit as soon as you know the date you or your dependant are coming home.

You should still report your actual date of discharge, or tell the appropriate office if it is cancelled or postponed.

If you, or a dependant, spend a few days at home – perhaps for a trial run, or if you are in and out of hospital on a regular pattern – tell the office that administers each benefit and ask them to pay the full amount of benefit for the days at home. Get a note from the hospital to say how many days you have at home.

For all benefits except disability living allowance (DLA), Scottish adult DLA, personal independence payment (PIP), adult disability payment (ADP), attendance allowance and pension age disability payment (PADP), the day you are admitted is treated as a day out