10.—(1) The Housing Act 1985(1) is amended as follows.
(2) In section 86A(2) (prospectively re-numbered as section 86G)—
(a)for subsection (5) substitute—
“(5) For the purposes of this section, a person who was living with the tenant as if they were a married couple or civil partners is to be treated as the tenant’s spouse or civil partner.”;
(b)in subsection (7), omit the words from “(according to” to “the tenant)”.
(3) In section 113(1)(a)(3), for “as husband and wife or as if they were” substitute “as if they were a married couple or”.
(4) In section 186(1)(a), for “as husband and wife or as if they were” substitute “as if they were a married couple or”.
(5) In section 325(1), for “husband and wife” substitute “a married couple or civil partners”.
(6) In Part 1 of Schedule 2, in Ground 2A(4)—
(a)omit “, a couple living together as husband and wife”;
(b)after “as if they were” insert “a married couple or”.
Section 86A was inserted by the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), section 160(1). Amendments (which are not yet in force) were made by the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22), Schedule 8, paragraph 3.
Sections 113(1)(a) and 186(1)(a) were amended by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, Schedule 8, paragraph 27.
Ground 2A was added by the Housing Act 1996 (c. 52), section 145, and amended by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, Schedule 8, paragraph 33.