Temporary stops in care due to the carer’s circumstances

Carers can continue getting CSP for temporary stops in care of up to 4 weeks in total in any 26 week period even if they are not providing at least 35 hours of a care a week. The cared for person must still be getting a qualifying disability benefit during those 4 weeks.  The 4 weeks’ temporary stop can be for any reason. Further stops in care can be taken for up to 12 weeks in total in any 26 week period if the carer or is in hospital or a similar institution.

If a carer is custody in prison, a detention centre or a young offenders institution

If a carer is in temporary legal detention in a prison, detention centre or young offenders institution, this should be treated as a temporary stop in careCSP Regs 40(3)). Carers can be paid for stops in care for this reason and any other reason for a total of up to 4 weeks in any 26 week period. The cared for person must still be getting a qualifying disability benefit during those 4 weeks.

If the carer has been given a sentence of longer than 4 weeks CSP should be stopped with immediate effect from the date the sentence was given. This is because it is clear that the stop in care is not going to be temporary.

If a carer is in hospital (or a similar institution)

The carer can continue getting CSP for up to 12 weeks if they are in hospital or a similar institution. This is as long as they have had no other paid temporary stops in care during that 26 week period. The cared for person must be getting a qualifying disability benefit during those 12 weeks.

The carer can also still get CSP for up to 12 weeks in a 26 week period if they are receiving medical treatment similar to what they would get in hospital.

If the carer is in and out of hospital, they can still continue getting CSP if they:

• have been in hospital or a similar institution for at least 8 weeks and
• have been discharged and then re-admitted to a hospital or similar institution for a further 4 weeks.