Are DLA & ESA payable during Hospitalisation ?

Hi
I'm very new to this site.
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After appeal, I was recently granted DLA on Mental Health Grounds along with my ESA.
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The whole thing strikes me as The System
trying to find ways of taking away benefits rather than helping you obtain them.
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Anyway, enough Victor Meldrew.
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I was hospitalised from 17.11.09 - 18.12.09 at Basildon Hospital Psychiatric Unit.
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Almost 6 months later, I received a letter from "The System" telling me that both DLA & ESA will be withdrawn for the period that I was in hospital. I explained that I was unaware of this , but was told that I should have known.
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Do I have to grin and bear this ??
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if anyone can shed any light ?
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Why oh why do they insist on turning it into a Them & Us type of war. Surely it's all hard enough already. sorry .

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Hi Andy,

You are allowed to be in hospital for 4 weeks, before your DLA is affected.
This can be 4 weeks for one stay, or several short stays totalling 4 weeks.

Your ESA should not be affected.

More details Hospital stays and your benefits

You or someone on your behalf should contact your local JobCentre Plus about your ESA.

As you were in hospital for over 4 weeks, then according to the dates you've given, your DLA would stop on 18 December 2009, but start again on 19 December 2009 and paid when your next payment was due, depending upon whether you receive it weekly, or every 4 weeks.

Hope this helps.

Jim

Jim
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
I will go back to the "warzone", suitably armed !
Many Thanks
Andy Cowen