Households

The following are classed as households for the purposes of the Housing Act 2004:

• Couples married to each other or living together as husband or wife (or in an equivalent relationship in the case of persons of the same sex)
• Relatives living together, including parents, grandparents, children (and step-children), grandchildren, brothers, sister, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces or cousins. Half relatives will be treated as full relatives. A foster child living with his/her foster parents is treated as living in the same household as the foster parents.
• Any domestic staff are also included in the household if they are living rent free in accommodation provided by the person for whom they are working. Therefore, three unrelated friends sharing together would be considered to be three households.
• A couple sharing with a third unrelated person would constitute two households.
• A family renting a property is a single household.