65AAAAccommodation supplement: interpretation

1. In this subpart and Part 7 of Schedule 4, unless the context otherwise requires,—

   accommodation costs, for a person (P) and a period, means,—

   1. if P owns the premises at which P resides and paragraph (b) does not apply, the total amount of all payments (including essential repairs and maintenance, local authority rates, and house insurance premiums, but excluding any service costs and any arrears) that,—
      1. subject to clause 18 of Schedule 3, are required to be made for the period under any mortgage security for money advanced under that security to acquire those premises, or to repay advances similarly secured; or
      2. MSD is satisfied are reasonably required to be made in relation to those premises for the period:
   2. if P resides at premises that P owns as a joint tenant, or as a tenant in common, with another person or other persons residing at those premises, the share of the total amount described in paragraph (a) that MSD is satisfied that P is paying:
   3. if P resides at any social housing in relation to which P is an additional resident, 62% of P’s contributions for the period (excluding any arrears):
   4. if P is a boarder, 62% of the amount paid by P for the period for board and lodgings at the premises at which P resides (excluding any arrears):
   5. in any other case, the amount of rent that MSD is satisfied that P has paid for the period in respect of the premises at which P resides (excluding any service costs and any arrears)

   boarder—

   1. means a person—
      1. who resides, and pays for board and lodgings, at a boarding house; or
      2. who—
         1. resides at any other premises; and
         2. makes payments for board and lodgings at those other premises that do not include a separately identifiable component that is paid for lodgings; but
   2. does not include a person who resides at any social housing

   boarding house has the same meaning as in section 66B of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986

   contributions has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Public and Community Housing Management Act 1992

   service costs, in relation to any premises,—

   1. means the cost as reasonably determined by MSD of any services (for example, electricity supply, gas supply, telephone network connection, or broadband Internet connection) provided to or in connection with the premises for consumption or use by the occupants of the premises; but
   2. does not include the cost of water supplied to the premises.