Apart from the circumstances described in DMG11084 there is no
specified period of time after which an absence ceases to be
temporary. The decision maker should decide whether the couple can
be treated as members of the same household by considering
1) the circumstances of the absence (for example, because of
employment needs or accommodation difficulties)
2) the extent to which contact has been maintained
3) the extent to which one partner has supported the other or
the couple have supported children or young persons
4) how long the absence has lasted
5) how much longer it is likely to last
6) the intentions and prospects of the couple living together
again.
