Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

What defines a household?

33 replies

Clearasmuddypuddles · 12/10/2020 17:02

If it is going to be Law that households can’t mix can anyone shed any light onto the legal definition of a household.

If parents move in with their children and grandchildren today, how long do they need to live there to become classed by law as one household? Do they need to officially register for council tax there? Is just sleeping in the house enough?

We are keen to stay within the law, and my parents have asked us to consider them moving in here to be classed as one household. However I would like to know how to do this legally. We are due to go on holiday together in a few weeks which we can’t do if we are separate household as my area is level 2.

Anyone with a legal background able to shed any light?

OP posts:
Whirlwind14 · 12/10/2020 17:08

I’ve no idea. Surely if you merge households and stick to this, it’s counted as one?

How do you know your area is level 2? Have they announced the benchmarks?

flissity · 12/10/2020 17:10

@Whirlwind14 as far as I know the Postcode checker will be online gov.co.uk from Wednesday

Racoonworld · 12/10/2020 17:10

How long would they live with you for? I would assume it would be if they were moving in with you long term, and it would be their primary residence, be on the electoral register etc. Not just moving in for a few weeks before a holiday as that would just be a visit.

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 12/10/2020 17:11

Some places have announced it this afternoon.

In sheffield for example the mayor has tweeted that it's level 2.

You don't necessarily need to wait for the postcode checker

Original poster
Clearasmuddypuddles · 12/10/2020 17:12

It has already been announced that my whole county is level 2.

Yes I assume the same that it needs to be long term... but in the eyes of the law how does that work?

OP posts:
Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 12/10/2020 17:12

But to answer OP Just move them in and you will be counted as 1 household

Sophiesdog2020 · 12/10/2020 17:13

Yes I would mix household now and stick to it.

@Whirlwind14 Boris’s announcement to the Commons this afternoon stated Tier 2 is all those under existing restrictions, except Liverpool which is Tier 3. Tier 2 to also include some additional areas, Nottinghamshire, Cheshire...

Still not sure what Tier 2 restrictions will be, but am sure it will all become clearer!

Rafflesway · 12/10/2020 17:14

God knows!

Personally I think it is a disgrace almost 2 hours following the official tier announcement there is still no Government countrywide checklist as to which area falls into which tier.

That information should have been ready to go live within minutes of the PM's announcement. 😡

Sorry OP, your question is a great one! Doesn't seem as if the potato heads in Government - and I speak as a Tory voter of over 40 years - have thought about any of this. Mix outside??? Has no-one realised it is freezing cold and peeing it down with rain 95% of the time now?

I'm abstaining next election!

Notcoolmum · 12/10/2020 17:14

At the beginning of lockdown people living alone were advised to move their partners in if they wanted to see them over lockdown so i would assume ice someone moves in with you you are one household. But they would advise you then stick to this arrangement.

Lazypuppy · 12/10/2020 17:19

I would say as soon as they move in/sleeping there they are one household.

If they get rid of support bubbles we'll be doing the same with my mum

frozendaisy · 12/10/2020 18:07

I would interpret "a household" as the people living in a particular building on day restrictions come into place regardless of where council tax is paid.

That's what we are going to do with grandparent should need arise.

Original poster
Clearasmuddypuddles · 12/10/2020 18:18

So difficult to know officially what is counted!

I’m hoping someone can find a link to the actually law which should set it out clearly.

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 12/10/2020 18:28

I don’t think it is laid out anywhere in the way you mean. I think if they’re staying with you and sleeping there every night, staying there every day, that counts

Spied · 12/10/2020 18:34

So, if I took my family and went to my sisters tonight and slept there and someone reported us then I could just turn around and say "Oh, I've moved in- we're one household now!"
NO
Your home is where you pay your council tax and where you are on the electoral reg.
You can't just move people in.

HesterShaw1 · 12/10/2020 18:38

@Lazypuppy

I would say as soon as they move in/sleeping there they are one household.

If they get rid of support bubbles we'll be doing the same with my mum

If they get rid of support bubbles, I'll be ignoring it and seeing my boyfriend and his kids. There's no way I'm doing months on my own again.

And as I recall, when Jenny Harries first talked about this back in March, she wasn't including ridiculous details such as electoral rolls. Why would that be important when it comes to virus transmission?

But some people love putting obstacles in the way.

SleepingStandingUp · 12/10/2020 18:41

I don't think there's a legal benchmark for how long you live together etc but what's the plan going past the holiday?

It sounds like you're just going to live together so you can go on holiday and then split again. What if the holiday venue and for proof of address from you all?
Who will be keeping your parents house secure whilst they pretend they're moving in with you?

Original poster
Clearasmuddypuddles · 12/10/2020 18:49

@SleepingStandingUp my parents live a few streets away so they could easily keep an eye on their house.

We will have no proof of address which is why I asked the questions. I know of other families that moved in together during the last lockdowns so I was wondering how that worked in the eyes of the law.

OP posts:
BuffaloCauliflower · 12/10/2020 18:51

@Spied why not? If it’s for a reasonable length of time? Loads of households combined at the start of lockdown, I believe they were told to. It’s just to minimise spread, if your sister is returning to your home for the foreseeable then it works

LJC1234 · 12/10/2020 18:56

I know lots of households that did this at the start of lockdown! If I was in a position to I would OP

ChaChaCha2012 · 12/10/2020 19:06

I've looked at the legislation (including today's regulations, which will be voted on tomorrow), and there is no definition for what constitutes a household. So a court would look at the intent behind the legislation, definitions from other areas of law, and the everyday definition.

In summary, no one knows! But I doubt any police officer would question your arrangement.

PleasantVille · 12/10/2020 19:13

@Rafflesway

God knows!

Personally I think it is a disgrace almost 2 hours following the official tier announcement there is still no Government countrywide checklist as to which area falls into which tier.

That information should have been ready to go live within minutes of the PM's announcement. 😡

Sorry OP, your question is a great one! Doesn't seem as if the potato heads in Government - and I speak as a Tory voter of over 40 years - have thought about any of this. Mix outside??? Has no-one realised it is freezing cold and peeing it down with rain 95% of the time now?

I'm abstaining next election!

Unless I misunderstood the announcement we already know which tier we're in

No current extra restrictions = tier 1 unless in one of the named counties who mover to tier 2 with everywhere that has Current restrictions except the named Liverpool areasthat are in tier 3

Unless you live on a Liverpool border it's quite clear isn't it?

Original poster
Clearasmuddypuddles · 12/10/2020 19:23

Unfortunately my parents wouldn’t want to do it long term. They like their own space (as do we) and so I can’t see it being a long term solution really. We would be happy with just seeing them outside (and my children can still see them anyway for childcare purposes) but with is having a holiday booked we were considering options to stay within the law.

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 12/10/2020 20:47

Well op does it really matter unless you think someone is going to report you?

You can't prove to the holiday let you're one household so they'll have to take you on faith.
How will your parents sleeping in the spare room for a week change what you're doing? Because you'll feel better knowing you lived together for a month not just two weeks in Wherever Holiday Let?

It's a bit like the people who pop their mask to go into the shop, then screw it in their pocket on the way out, then put it back on at the next shop. It's for appearances so you think you look better

StarCat2020 · 14/10/2020 14:39

OP - Do you claim any benefits at all or 25% CT discount?

Not being nosy just want you to be aware that it may cause issues if become a single household.

Just realised how shit that sounds.

Original poster
Clearasmuddypuddles · 14/10/2020 21:01

@StarCat2020 no I don’t claim any benefits at all.

We made the decision for them not to move in and they are going to sacrifice their holiday so we will go without them.

OP posts: