Hospital and benefits - Benefits for a child who is in hospital

If your child usually lives with you but is in hospital, you will stop getting Child Benefit for them after they have been in hospital for 84 days unless you are still needing to pay money for the child's needs. This could include things like paying pocket money or buying clothes or magazines for the child.

Child Tax Credit will carry on being paid for a child who normally lives with you but who is in hospital. Benefit may stop if the child is in hospital for a long period of time. Get advice if this applies to you. You can use our Find an Adviser tool to find a local one.

The Child Element of Universal Credit will carry on being paid for a child who normally lives with you but who is in hospital. The Child Element will stop if the child is expected to be in hospital for more than six months.

The Scottish Child Payment will continue to be paid while your child is in hospital.