Hospital and benefits - Benefits to help pay your rent, Council Tax or mortgage/home loan

If you rent your home and get Housing Benefit (England, Scotland and Wales) or Housing Benefit (Northern Ireland), your benefit will stop if you are going to be in hospital for more than 52 weeks.

Your Council Tax Support will also stop if you are going to be in hospital for more than 52 weeks.

If you rent your home and get help to pay your rent through Universal Credit, your Housing Element will stop if you stay in hospital for more than six months or if your stay is expected to be longer than six months. 

If you are buying your home and get help through a Support for Mortgage Interest Loan how long you can get help with your mortgage for while you are in hospital depends on your circumstances. If you are getting Support for Mortgage Interest alongside a legacy benefits claim, your Support for Mortgage Interest loan will stop after you have been in hospital for 52 weeks. If you are getting Support for Mortgage Interest alongside a claim for Universal Credit, your Support for Mortgage Interest loan will stop after you have been in hospital for six months.

You should get advice from an expert benefits adviser if you are going to be in hospital for a long period of time.  If you have a partner, they might need to make a claim for benefit.

You can use the Turn2us Find an Adviser tool to find a local adviser.