(1)A person is a member of another’s family for the purposes of this Act if—
(a)he is the spouse of that person or he and that person live together as husband and wife [F1or in a relationship which has the characteristics of the relationship between husband and wife except that the persons are of the same sex]; or
(b)he is that person’s parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece.
(2)For the purposes of subsection (1)(b)—
(a)a relationship by marriage shall be treated as a relationship by blood;
(b)a relationship of the half-blood shall be treated as a relationship of the whole blood;
(c)the stepchild of a person shall be treated as his child; and
[F2(ca)a person brought up or treated by another person as if the person were the child of the other person shall be treated as that person’s child;]
(d)a child shall be treated as such whether or not his parents are married.
[F3(3)Except in subsection (1)(a), references in this Act to a person’s spouse include references to another person living together with that person as husband and wife or in a relationship which has the characteristics of the relationship between husband and wife except that the persons are of the same sex.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 83(1)(a) inserted (1.10.2001) by 2001 asp 10, s. 108(3)(a); S.S.I. 2001/336, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. I (with transitional provisions and savings in art. 3) (as amended by S.S.I. 2001/397, art. 7(b))
F2S. 83(2)(ca) inserted (1.10.2001) by 2001 asp 10, s. 108(3)(b); S.S.I. 2001/336, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. I (with transitional provisions and savings in art. 3) (as amended by S.S.I. 2001/397, art. 7(b))
F3S. 83(3) inserted (1.10.2001) by 2001 asp 10, s. 108(3)(c); S.S.I. 2001/336, art. 2(2), Sch. Pt. I (with transitional provisions and savings in art. 3) (as amended by S.S.I. 2001/397, art. 7(b))
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 83 applied by Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 (c. 43, SIF 61), ss. 37(4), 52