Will the changes to hospital down-rating rules mean that Attendance Allowance/DLA will continue for 52 weeks rather than 4 weeks? If as I suspect, the answer is NO, then I am struggling to understand what's in the changes for pensioners who already have 52 week protection for all other benefits?!

certainly macmillan cancer relief agree with you -

'We welcome the news that all pensioners in hospital will continue to receive their full state pension and their full entitlement to Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support for the entire duration of their stay in hospital from April 2006. This is in recognition of the fact that individuals have many on-going fixed commitments such as housing costs and utility bills while they are in hospital.

However we fail to see the logic of excluding Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance from this list ...

I agree with Macmillan.

Most of the queries we get from older people concerns their benefit entitlement whilst in hospital because they are worried about paying utility bills, housing costs and Coucil Tax.

Can't see the logic of excluding DLA and AA from the list either, it creates uncertanty and confusion having 2 tier rules.