Section 65 — Social Security Act 2018: Accommodation supplement: discretionary grant

65 Accommodation supplement: discretionary grant (1) MSD may grant a person ( P ), for the period that MSD determines, an accommodation supplement if— (a) P has accommodation costs; and (b) P meets the assets requirement (as set out in regulations made under section 423 ); and (c) P is not excluded on either of the following grounds: (i) the social housing exclusion: (ii) the other funding exclusion. (2) In this subpart, unless the context otherwise requires,— accommodation costs , in relation to any person for any given period, means,— (a) in relation to premises rented by the person, the amount payable by the person for rent of the premises, excluding any service costs included in that rent and any arrears: (b) in relation to premises that are owned by the person, 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,— (i) subject to clause 18 of Schedule 3, are required to be made under any mortgage security for money advanced under that security to acquire the premises, or to repay advances similarly secured; or (ii) MSD is satisfied are reasonably required to be made: (c) in relation to a person who is a boarder or lodger in any premises, 62% of the amount paid for board or lodging (excluding any arrears): (d) if a person is a joint tenant of, or an owner in common of, any premises with another person or other persons living in the premises, that applicant’s accommodation costs are the share of the total accommodation costs of the jointly tenanted, or commonly owned, premises that MSD is satisfied the person is paying service costs , in relation to any premises,— (a) 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 (b) does not include the cost of water supplied to the premises. Compare: 1964 No 136 ss 61E , 61EA , 61EC(3)