PART IIEntitlement and amount
Persons treated as being or not being members of the same household5
1
A person is to be treated as not being a member of the same household as the claimant if—
a
he is living away from the claimant and—
i
he does not intend to resume living with the claimant; or
ii
his absence is likely to exceed 52 weeks except where there are exceptional circumstances (for example the person is in hospital or otherwise has no control over the length of his absence), and the absence is unlikely to be substantially more than 52 weeks;
b
he or the claimant is permanently in a care home F5or an independent hospital;
c
he or the claimant is, or both are—
i
detained in a hospital provided under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983, the F4Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, or the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; or
ii
detained in custody pending trial or sentence upon conviction or under a sentence imposed by a court; or
d
F6e
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F9f
except in circumstances where paragraph (1A) applies, he is absent from Great Britain;
F3g
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F2h
he is a person subject to immigration control within the meaning of section 115(9) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
F101A
A person is to be treated as being a member of the same household as the claimant while he is absent from Great Britain but for no longer than—
a
4 weeks, provided the absence is not expected to exceed 4 weeks;
b
8 weeks, where paragraph (1B) applies; or
c
26 weeks, where paragraph (1C) applies.
F101B
This paragraph applies where the absence is not expected to exceed 8 weeks and is in connection with the death of—
a
a child or qualifying young person normally living with the person; or
b
a close relative of—
i
the person;
ii
the person's partner; or
iii
a child or qualifying young person normally living with the person,
and the Secretary of State considers that it would be unreasonable to expect the person to return to Great Britain within 4 weeks.
1C
This paragraph applies where the absence is not expected to exceed 26 weeks and is solely in connection with—
a
the person undergoing—
i
treatment for an illness or physical or mental impairment by, or under the supervision of, a qualified practitioner; or
ii
medically approved convalescence or care as a result of treatment for an illness or physical or mental impairment, where the person had that illness or impairment before leaving Great Britain; or
b
the person accompanying his partner or a child or qualifying young person normally living with the person for treatment or convalescence or care as mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).
2
Subject to paragraph (1), partners shall be treated as members of the same household notwithstanding that they are temporarily living apart.
F73
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .