Benefits - hospitalisation

Receiving Council Tax or Housing Benefit whilst in hospital

A person claiming benefits who is admitted to hospital must notify the local authority that deals with their claims for housing and council tax benefit.

Housing or Council Tax benefit is a means tested benefit, which can help with Rent payments and reduce your council tax bill. These benefits are still payable to you should you have to go into hospital for up to 52 weeks. If you (the claimant) go into hospital you must let us know. In the majority of cases this will not result in any change in your benefit payments for up to 52 weeks. You must inform the Benefits Service that you are going into hospital and provide proof e.g. Letter from the Doctor or hospital. If your partner goes into hospital for any length of time and this affects the income of the household, tell us, so we can re-assess your benefit. You can also make a new claim whilst in hospital provided you are intending to return to your property. Most hospitals have a Social Worker attached to them who should be able to assist you to make a claim.

Eligibility
None.

Required Customer Information
To inform us you are going into hospital or are in hospital you must supply some proof e.g. Doctors letter or something from the hospital. As soon as you come out of hospital and return home you must let us know and provide something from the hospital confirming the from and to dates of your hospital stay.

See New Claims info – if making a new claim.

Service Level Agreement and Turnaround
General correspondence should be dealt with within 4 weeks.

More information about this service

Contact Us

Frequently asked questions

Address:
Benefits Service
PO Box 63
Civic Centre
Silver Street
Enfield
EN1 3XW
Map

Telephone:
020 8379 3798

020 8379 1000 for automated Benefit Information 24 hours a day

Textphone:
020 8379 4998

Fax:
020 8379 5191

Textphone:
020 8379 4998

Helpdesks: Civic Centre and John Wilkes House

Principal Revenue Information Outlet:
John Wilkes House
79 High Street
Ponders End
Enfield EN3 4EN
Map

Monday to Friday
9.00am to 4.00pm

For picking up forms and handing in documents, you can also visit:
Edmonton Centre (1st Floor above the Library,)
36-44 South Mall,
Edmonton,
London, N9 0TN
Map

Monday to Friday:
8:30am to 5:00pm

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