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UC Housing element - 26 weeks Hospital
Hi there
I have a question on UC hospital absence - under old HB Rules the Hospital absence was allowed at 52 weeks.
Having worked in HB for years (now working for a Housing Association) on very few occasions under the HB rules where a person was absent for a long period of time in hospital (say 40 weeks) and the person then returned to the property for a short period of time (couple of nights) but relapsed and then returned to the hospital (the return to the property was supported by Social Services and Mental Health Team). We used to ask for evidence that the person had made a genuine reoccupation of the property (Social Services letter etc) and then allow a further 52 weeks absence to start.
This is a case scenario that would have been very rare to deal with and was linked to a vulnerable person with severe enduring Mental Health conditions; and obviously we would have only allowed this type of temp absence/reoccupation/temp absence to occur on one occasion.
So the UC question is UC Regs Schedule 3 only allows the Housing Element for a 26 week absence.
Test - what happens if the person with severe enduring Mental Health conditions has been absent for (say) 20 weeks, is supported by Social Services/Mental Health Team to return to the property for a couple of nights; but then relapses and returns to the hospital - is this the start of a new 26 week period of absence in hospital?
No one in UC can/will comment on this?