The Income Support (General) Regulations 1987

Calculation of income and capital of members of claimant's family and of a polygamous marriageE+W+S

23.—(1) [F1[F2Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4) and to regulation 44 (modifications in respect of children and young persons), the income and capital of a claimant’s partner and] the income of a child or young person which by virtue of section 22(5) of the Act] [F2Subject to paragraph (4), the income and capital of a claimant’s partner which by virtue of section 136(1) of the Contributions and Benefits Act] is to be treated as income and capital of the claimant, shall be calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Part in like manner as for the claimant; and any reference to the “claimant” shall, except where the context otherwise requires, be construed, for the purposes of this Part, as if it were a reference to his partner [F3or that child or young person].

(2) [F4Regulations 36(2) and 38(2), so far as they relate to paragraphs 1 to 10 of Schedule 8 (earnings to be disregarded) and regulation 41(1) (capital treated as income) shall not apply to a child or young person.]

[F4Subject to the following provisions of this Part, the income paid to, or in respect of, and capital of, a child or young person who is a member of the claimant’s family shall not be treated as the income or capital of the claimant.]

(3) [F5Subject to paragraph (5)] where a claimant or the partner of a claimant is married polygamously to two or more members of his household—

(a)the claimant shall be treated as possessing capital and income belonging to each such member [F6and the income of any child or young person who is one of that member's family]; and

(b)the income and capital of that member [F7or, as the case may be, the income of that child or young person ]shall be calculated in accordance with the following provisions of this Part in like manner as for the claimant [F7or, as the case may be, as for any child or young person who is a member of his family].

[F8(4) Where at least one member of a couple is aged less than 18 and the applicable amount of the couple falls to be determined under [F9paragraphs 1(3)(b), (c), (f) or (g)] of Schedule 2 (applicable amounts), the income of the claimant’s partner shall not be treated as the income of the claimant to the extent that–

(a)in the case of a couple where both members are aged less than 18, the amount specified in paragraph 1(3)(a) of that Schedule exceeds the amount specified in [F10paragraph 1(3)(c)] of that Schedule; and

(b)in the case of a couple where only one member is aged less than 18, the amount specified in paragraph 1(3)(d) of that Schedule exceeds the amount which applies in that case which is specified in [F11paragraph 1(3)(f) or (g)] of that Schedule.]

[F8(5) Where a member of a polygamous marriage is a partner aged less than 18 and the amount which applies in respect of him under regulation 18(2) (polygamous marriages) is nil, the claimant shall not be treated as possessing the income of that partner to the extent that an amount in respect of him would have been included in the applicable amount if he had fallen within the circumstances set out in regulation 18(2)(a) or (b).]