(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), for the purposes of this paragraph a protected person is a claimant, where—
(a) in respect of the first week he is entitled to an increase under paragraph 7 of Schedule 5 (applicable amounts of persons in board and lodging accommodation or hostels) because either he or, if he is one of a couple or a member of a polygamous marriage, he or his partner satisfies any of the conditions in paragraph 8 of that Schedule; or
(b) in the first week the claimant or, if he has a partner, either he or his partner—
(i) is in need of personal care by reason of mental or physical disablement, mental illness, or dependence on alcohol or drugs; and
(ii) is receiving both board and personal care in accommodation other than a residential care home or nursing home or residential accommodation within the meaning of regulation 21(3) (special cases) or a hostel within the meaning of regulation 20(2) (applicable amounts for persons in board and lodging accommodation and hostels); and
(iii) is in accommodation which he entered under arrangements for his personal care made by a statutory authority or a voluntary or charitable body and those arrangements are being supervised on a continuing basis by that authority or body; or
(c) he or, if he has a partner, either he or his partner but for his temporary absence from his accommodation for a period not exceeding 13 weeks, which includes the first week, would have satisfied (a) or (b) above.
(2) A claimant is not a protected person if he or, if he has a partner, he or his partner, in the first week, is temporarily living in board and lodging accommodation and that accommodation is not the accommodation normally occupied as the home.
(3) Paragraph 4 shall not apply to a protected person.
(4) Paragraph 6(b) shall not apply to a protected person if:
(a) he moves to accommodation where he satisfies conditions (i) to (iii) of sub-paragraph (1)(b); or
(b) he becomes a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3); or
(c) on his ceasing to be a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3), either he returns to the accommodation which he occupied immediately before he became a patient, or he moves to other accommodation where he satisfies conditions (i) and (iii) of sub-paragraph (1)(b); or
(d) in a case to which sub-paragraph (6) applies, on his becoming re-entitled to income support, he is either in the accommodation which he occupied immediately before he ceased to be entitled to income support, or in accommodation where he satisfies conditions (i) to (iii) of sub-paragraph (1)(b).
(5) In the case of a protected person who becomes a patient within the meaning of regulation 21(3) for a period of 14 weeks or less, he shall, subject to sub-paragraph (4)(c), on his ceasing to be a patient be entitled to a protected sum equal to either the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first benefit week in which his applicable amount ceases to be determined under paragraph 1 of Schedule 7 and any eligible housing benefit for the period beginning 10th April 1989, or the amount of the protected sum to which he was entitled in the immediately preceding benefit week, whichever is lower.
(6) Paragraph 6(c) shall not apply to a protected person who has ceased to be entitled to income support for a period of not more than 8 weeks, and if during that period the protected person becomes re-entitled, or would by virtue of this paragraph be re-entitled, to income support he shall, subject to sub-paragraph (4)(d), be entitled to a protected sum equal to either the amount by which his protected total exceeds his applicable amount determined in accordance with the relevant provisions in the first benefit week in which he becomes so re-entitled and any eligible housing benefit for the period beginning 10th April 1989, or the amount of the protected sum to which he was previously entitled, whichever is lower.
(7) Where a protected person is temporarily absent for a period not exceeding 13 weeks which includes the first week or the second week (or both) from his accommodation, on his return to that accommodation he shall be entitled to a protected sum equal to the difference between—
(a) the amount that his applicable amount in the first week would have been had he been entitled in respect of that week to income support on the basis that he was in that accommodation; and, if less,
(b) the total of his applicable amount in the first complete benefit week during which he is in that accommodation after the first week, determined in accordance with the relevant provisions and the amount of any housing benefit to which he or his partner was entitled in the period of 7 consecutive days beginning on the Monday in the week in which he returns to that accommodation.