Social Security Act 1980

3(1)Where two persons are a married or unmarried couple, their requirements and resources shall be aggregated and treated—

(a)until the prescribed date, as those of the man; and

(b)on and after that date, as those of such one of them as satisfies prescribed conditions or, where both of them satisfy or neither of them satisfies those conditions, as those of such one of them as they may jointly nominate in accordance with regulations or, in default of such a nomination, as the Secretary of State may determine.

(2)Where a person is responsible for, and is a member of the same household as, another person and they are not a married or unmarried couple, then—

(a)if the other person is a child or is excluded from entitlement to supplementary benefit by section 6(2) of this Act; or

(b)if the circumstances are such as are prescribed,

their requirments and resources shall be aggregated and treated as those of the first-mentioned person.

(3)Regulations may provide that, in a case falling within the preceding sub-paragraph, sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph shall apply in relation to the other person with prescribed modifications.