5.4.3 Share accommodation

The maximum rate of Rent Assistance for single people who are sharers is two-thirds of the maximum rate for singles living independently.   A student is to be assessed as a sharer if:

• he/she is a single person without dependants, and
• he/she has the right to use, in common with other people, a major area of the accommodation, and
• meals are not included in accommodation costs.

A major area of accommodation is defined as:  a bathroom, a kitchen or a bedroom.  Sharers are subject to a lower maximum rate of Rent Assistance.