Hospitalisation

Child Disability Allowance can continue to be paid when the child needs to be admitted to hospital, as long as the stay in hospital is temporary. Use the following checklist to decide whether or not to continue payment:

• is the child normally cared for in the home or in a voluntarily run home or hostel where the parents/caregiver are contributing?
• is there a reasonable expectation that the child will be returning to the home?
• is there an expected discharge date from the hospital in the foreseeable future?

You would generally continue to pay Child Disability Allowance if the answers to the above checklist are yes.

If the child is expected to be in hospital long-term, only suspend Child Disability Allowance from:

• the first day of the pay period following the date of admission or
• where respite care is provided while the child is in hospital, the expiry of this assistance

whichever is the later

Note Child Disability Allowance is paid 2 weeks in arrears. Payday is fortnightly on Tuesdays. The first day of the pay period would be Wednesday after the Child Disability Allowance payday.