Temporary stops in care due to the cared for person’s circumstances
If the cared for person is under 18 and in hospital or a similar institution
If the cared for person is under 18, they can continue to get a qualifying disability benefit when they go into hospital or a similar institution. The carer can continue to get CSP for up to 12 weeks even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of care a week. This is as long as they have not already temporarily stopped providing care in that 26 week period. If the cared for person is in hospital but the carer is still providing 35 hours of care a week, there is no need for the hospital stay to affect CSP.
If the cared for person has been in and out of a hospital, they must be in hospital for at least 8 out of those 12 weeks.
If the cared for person goes into hospital when they are 17 or younger and then turn 18, they can still continue to get a qualifying disability benefit while in hospital.
If the cared for person is over 18 and in hospital or a similar institution
If the cared for person is over 18, they will stop getting a qualifying disability benefit after 4 weeks in hospital or a similar institution. This is because the qualifying disability benefit is paid to cover that person’s care needs which will be met by the hospital or other institution while they are staying there and this is also funded by government.
The carer can continue getting CSP for up to 4 weeks while the cared for person is in hospital and getting a qualifying disability benefit, even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of care a week
If the cared for person is in hospital for less than 4 weeks, this period can link together with another period if they are less than 4 weeks apart. This means that the qualifying disability benefit could stop after two separate periods of 2 weeks in hospital if these are within 4 weeks of each other.
It may still be possible for the carer to continue to receive payment for 12 weeks where the cared for person is in hospital, if the cared for person spends a number of shorter periods in hospital so that their qualifying disability benefit remains in payment.
If the cared for person is in residential care
Regardless of their age, a cared for person will only continue to get a qualifying disability benefit for up to 4 weeks while in residential care (unless they are funding their own care or in a private hospice. The carer can continue to get CSP for up to 4 weeks even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of care a week. This is as long as they have not temporarily stopped providing care already for non hospital-related reasons in that 26 week period. These rules would only apply in cases where the cared for person has been admitted to residential care on a temporary basis. If the cared for person has been admitted to residential care on a permanent basis, entitlement to CSP would stop on the first day of the award week following the week in which the change occurred.
Example: effect on CSP when a cared for person is admitted to residential care on a permanent basis
Nicola is receiving Carer Support Payment for caring for her brother, Harry. She reports on 05/03/2025 that she will no longer be providing 35 hours of care a week for her brother from 19/03/2025 as he will be moving into a care home. On 21/03/2025 the change of circumstances is processed and we make the determination that Nicola is no longer entitled to Carer Support Payment. As the move to residential care is permanent, CSP is not payable from 24/03/2025, the first day of the award week following the week in which we made the determination.
The same linking rules apply to periods in residential care as they do for hospitals. This means that if the cared for person is in residential care for less than 4 weeks, this period can link together with another period if they are less than 4 weeks apart. This means that the qualifying disability benefit could stop after two separate periods of 2 weeks in residential care if these are within 4 weeks of each other.
If the cared for person is funding their own care or in a private hospice
Regardless of their age, a cared for person can continue to get a qualifying disability benefit while in a private hospice or funding their own hospital care. This is because the costs of care being met by the hospital are not funded by government.
The carer can continue to get CSP for up to 12 weeks even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of care a week. This is as long as they have not temporarily stopped care already in that 26 week period. If the cared for person is in self-funded care and the carer is still providing 35 hours of care a week, there is no need for this to affect CSP.
If the cared for person is in custody, in prison, a dentention centre or a young offenders institution
The cared for person will continue to get a qualifying benefit. The carer can continue to get CSP for up to 4 weeks even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of care a week. This is as long as they have not temporarily stopped care already for non-hospital-related reasons in that 26 week period. These rules apply whether the cared for person is under or over the age of 18.
If the cared for person was getting Attendance Allowance which stopped when they went into custody
The cared for person’s qualifying disability benefit will stop immediately and CSP cannot be paid.