Housing Benefit: temporary absence

Housing Benefit is usually paid for the home you live in. You may still be able to get Housing Benefit if you are away from home for a short time, in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) or abroad. For example, this could apply if you move into residential accommodation for a trial period.

You need to contact the housing benefit team before you go away from home, whatever the reason for your temporary absence.

You can get Housing Benefit for up to:

• 13 weeks while you are temporarily away from home within Great Britain
• four weeks while you are temporarily away from home outside Great Britain

You must meet all of the following conditions:

• you intend to return to live in the property as your home
• the part of the property occupied by you is not sublet
• the period of absence is unlikely to go over 13 weeks (within Great Britain) or four weeks (outside Great Britain)

If you know that your absence will last longer than these periods, your benefit will stop from the beginning of the absence.

You can get housing benefit for up to:

• 52 weeks while you are temporarily away from home within Great Britain
• 26 weeks while you are temporarily away from home outside Great Britain

This may apply if you are:

• a prisoner held on remand, or detained in an approved bail hostel awaiting trial. All other prisoners are limited to 13 weeks.
• a patient in hospital
• getting medical treatment, care or medically-approved convalescence care but not in ‘residential care accommodation’
• receiving temporary care in residential care accommodation but not residing there on a trial basis
• providing medically-approved care
• undertaking an approved training course
• a student who qualifies for Housing Benefit (for example if you have to travel as part of your course)
• in fear of violence, but you intend to return to live in the property

You must still intend to return and live in the property as your home.