§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why non-dependant deductions are applied both by his Department and the local authority to people in shared ownership housing schemes receiving housing benefit.
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§ Dr. BoysonNon-dependants are expected to contribute to the claimant's rates in all cases, and to the rent, if the claimant is a tenant, or the mortgage interest and other outgoings, if the claimant is an owner-occupier. Where the claimant has a shared ownership tenancy, and pays mortgage interest as well as rent, a non-dependant is not expected to contribute towards both: regulation 22(5)(d) of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1983 states that non-dependant deductions should not be made in the supplementary benefit assessment if they have already been made in the calculation of a rent rebate or rent allowance.