This chapter explains how benefits and tax credits are affected if a child goes into hospital. It covers:

1. Benefits and tax credits for children in hospital (below)

2. More than one stay in hospital (►)

3. When your child comes home (►)

Hospital inpatient

Your child counts as a hospital inpatient if s/he is being maintained free of charge while having medical or other treatment as an inpatient in an NHS hospital or similar institution.68 If your child is being treated as a private patient, s/he does not count as an inpatient for benefit purposes.

• 68. Reg 2(4) SS(HIP) Regs; NHS(S)A 1978; NHSCCA 1990; regs 8 and 12A SS(DLA) Regs