If you live with someone and you are not married or in a registered partnership but you ‘
share a household’ with them, you will be paid at the rate for a person who is living with another adult. It is not possible to have a ‘shared household’ with your child or your father or mother.
You live in a shared household if:
- you live in the same house with one other person aged 18 or over and
- you both make a contribution towards the household. Your contribution can be in money or in some other way
You can contribute to the household by caring for each other. People can care for each other in 2 ways:
- by means of a financial contribution to the household expenses (housing costs, living expenses, and other costs) or
- by taking care of each other in some other way (cleaning, shopping, doing paperwork, cooking, caring for each other in case of illness)
Contributing to the costs or caring for each other are not taken into account if they are insignificant or infrequent.
Example
Maria is not married. Her daughter Kim (aged 38) is living with her. Kim pays her share of the fixed costs, such as the rent, shopping, gas and electricity. She also helps with all sorts of daily chores, such as cooking, shopping, cleaning and odd jobs around the house.
Maria and Kim do not have a ‘shared household’ because Kim is Maria's daughter. Maria will get her AIO supplement according to the
co-resident rule. Kim is over 21 and is therefore regarded as a co-resident.
Example
Dick is unmarried. His grandson Martin is 24 years old and lives in the same house with him. Martin is a student and doesn't pay much towards the shopping. He sometimes does an odd job around the house.
Dick is not regarded as having a ‘shared household’. His grandson's contribution to the household is minimal. Dick therefore gets an AIO supplement for a person who lives alone. Martin is over 21, but he is not regarded as a co-resident because he is still in full-time education.
Situations where you are always regarded as ‘sharing a household’
In the following situations, you are always regarded as ‘sharing a household’ for the payment of an AIO supplement.
- You were previously married to the other person
- You previously lived with the other person
- You have a child together, or the child of one of you has been recognised by the other
- You and the other person have a cohabitation contract that was drawn up by a notary public
- Your household has already been classed as a ‘shared household’ under another Act or scheme