Executor & benefits

[Guest]

I am one of two executors for my late grandmother.

I have discovered in the last 8 months of her life she spend in hospital only being discharged breifly home for a matter of hours before being taken back into hospital.

She was in receipt of Disability Benefit / Incapacity benefit which was continued to be paid when she was in hospital as I don't think the DWP were aware she was in hospital.

I have been told by a friend I have to now declare her time in hospital and pay the benefits back from her estate because they would be classes as an over payment.

Can anyone advise on this please

[Kezwhi]

Hi, Sorry for your loss. Yes they will need to be paid back. It says that with disability benefit, that stops once the patient has been in hospital for 28 days. As your dear grandmother was in hospital for 8 months, I’d assume that 7 months of her benefits would be paid back- although they may say they want the full 8 months as they weren’t notified about her being poorly and in hospital. Make sure that you get them to put in writing how much needs to be returned so then you have a paper trail for your grandmothers estate accounts / inventory.