EACH year thousands of pensioners come home from hospital to discover that their pension or income support has been cut.

The rule that allows the Department of Social Security to ddo this is little publicised and can feel like the last straw for an older person on a low income who is recovering from a serious illness or operation.

A single person's pension is normally cut by £28.30 a week after they have been in hospital for six weeks or longer. Pensioners see it as a charge towards a stay in hospital that people of working age do not face.

Age Concern England would like to hear from older people who have suffered from this injustice or who may suffer if they have a hospital stay coming up. Please write to me.

Rhian Beynon,

Public Affairs Department,

Age Concern England,

1268 London Road,

London SW16 4ER.