People who live with you (non-dependants)
Find out how non-dependants affect your housing benefit and council tax support.
What is a non-dependant?
People who normally share your accommodation but are not dependent on you for financial support are known as non-dependants. Others who live with you as a family and any children you have fostered do not count as non-dependants.
The following do not count as non-dependants:
- carers employed by a charity that charges for the service
- joint tenants
- subtenants
- boarders
- tenants of owner occupiers
- landlords/ladies and their partners
They do not count as part of your household.
Non-dependants are people like grown-up sons or daughters and elderly relatives. If you have a non-dependant living with you, your housing benefit and council tax support may be affected.
Non-dependant deductions
Housing benefit and council tax support are normally reduced for each non-dependant living in your home.
If the non-dependant is working less than 16 hours a week, the lowest deduction will apply.
If the non-dependant is doing paid work for 16 hours or more a week, the level of deduction will depend on the non-dependant's gross income. We will ask to see evidence of this.
Housing Benefit
| Non-dependant gross weekly income | 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 weekly deduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than £139.00 | £15.25 | |
| £139.00 to £203.99 | £35.05 | |
| £204 to £264.99 | £48.05 | |
| £365 to £353.99 | £78.65 | |
| £354 to £438.99 | £89.55 | |
| £439 or more | £98.30 |
Council Tax Support
| Non-dependant gross weekly income | 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 weekly deduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than £202.85 | £3.90 | |
| £202.85 to £351.64 | £7.90 | |
| £351.65 to £423.99 | £9.95 | |
| £424 or more | £11.90 |
When are deductions not taken?
A deduction will not be made if you or your partner are:
- registered blind
- receiving Attendance Allowance
- receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance
- receiving the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
No deductions are made if the non-dependant is:
- receiving Pension Credit
- aged under 18
- a full time student (there is a deduction for summer vacation if the non-dependant works 16 hours a week or more)
- receiving a youth training allowance
- a prisoner
- has been in hospital for 52 week or more
- under 25 and receiving Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance (income based) (any age for Council Tax Support)
- under 25 and entitled to an award of Universal Credit where the award is calculated on the basis that the non-dependant does not have any earned income (any age for Council Tax Support)
- receiving Employment Support Allowance assessment phase only
A deduction may be delayed for 26 weeks if you or your partner are aged 65 or more and a non-dependant moves into your home or the non-dependant's circumstances change to increase the deduction.
Tell us about a change of circumstances which could affect your benefits.