Non-Dependants and your benefit claim
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A non-dependant is someone aged 18 or over who normally lives with you such as an adult son or daughter, other relative or a friend.
Housing and Council Tax benefit is reduced for each non-dependant living in your home. For non-dependant couples, the income of both members of the couple are added together to find the total gross income. The reduction in your benefit is called a non-dependant deduction.
| Income/circumstances of non-dependant | Amount of deduction |
| Non Dependant is aged under 18, or a student, or in hospital for more than 52 weeks or disregarded for Council Tax discount purposes (A Youth Training trainee, normal home is an NHS hospital or nursing home/care home, in detention, severely mentally impaired, child benefit paid for, a student nurse, an apprentice, a carer, a school leaver-under 20 and finished a course of education between 30 April and 1 November in the current year - in which case no deduction applies until 1 November onwards). | £0.00 |
| Aged under 25 and receiving Income Support, Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment & Support Allowance (Income Related - Assessment Phase only), Universal Credit and not in remunerative work. | £0.00 |
| Aged 25 or over and receive Universal Credit with or without earnings. | £4.90 |
| Aged 25 or over and receiving Income Support or Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance. | £0.00 |
| Aged 25 or over and receiving Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (Assessment or Main Phase), or aged 18-24 and receiving Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (Main Phase) | £0.00 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit. | £0.00 |
| Aged 18 or over, working less than 16 hours per week, or 18 or over, not working, i.e. receiving a benefit like Incapacity Benefit, Contribution Based Jobseekers Allowance, Contribution Based Employment & Support Allowance. | £4.90 |
Aged 18 or over and working for 16 hours or more per week and weekly gross pay (before stoppages) plus any other income is:
between £256.00 - £444.99 between £445.00 - £553.99 £554 or more |
£4.90 £10.05 £12.60 £15.10 |
| Income/circumstances of Non-dependant | Amount of Deduction |
| Aged under 18, (or aged under 25 and in receipt of Income Support/Income-Based Jobseeker's Allowance/Employment and Support Allowance assessment phase/Universal Credit not in remunerative work), on a Youth Training course, a Student (except if working full time during the summer vacation), in detention or in hospital for more than 52 weeks | £0.00 |
One of the following applies: a. Aged 25 or over and in receipt of Income Support/Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance. b. Aged 18 or over and working less than 16 hours per week. c. Aged 18 or over and not working - ie, in receipt of a benefit like Incapacity benefit, Contribution Based Jobseekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance main phase. d. Aged 18 or over and working 16 hours or more per week but weekly gross pay (before stoppages) plus any other income, is less than £176 e. Aged 25 or over on IS/JSA(IB) or others aged 18 or over not in remunerative work | £19.30 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit | £0.00 |
Aged 18 or over and working for 16 hours or more per week and weekly gross pay (before stoppages) plus any other income is: between £176.00 - £255.99 between £256.00 - £333.99 between £334.00 - £444.99 between £445.00 - £553.99 £554 and above |
£44.40 £60.95 £99.65 £113.50 £124.55 |
Exceptions
There are some exceptions when we will not make a non-dependant deduction.
We do not make a deduction for non-dependants who live with you if you or your partner are:
- registered blind
- in receipt of Attendance Allowance
- in receipt of Constant Attendance Allowance
- in receipt of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (at any rate).
Or if the non-dependant:
- is under 18
- is under 25 and in receipt of Income Support of Job seekers Allowance (income-based)
- is receiving State Pension Credit (either guaranteed or savings credit or both)
- is receiving a Work Based Training Allowance
- is in prison or similar forms of detention
- has been in hospital for 52 weeks or more
- usually lives elsewhere (but you will need to tell us their permanent address, otherwise we may still make the deduction)
- is a full time student or student nurse (although a housing benefit deduction applies if the non-dependant works for 16 hours per week or more during the summer vacation).
In addition, there is no deduction from if the non-dependant is:
- an apprentice
- severely mentally impaired
- a carer.
Over 65's
If you or your partner are aged 65 or over, a deduction could be made if:
- a non-dependant moves in (and a deduction would normally apply to them)
- a non-dependant has a change in circumstances.
The deduction starts or increases 26 weeks after the non-dependant moved in or they have a change in circumstances
Changes in your circumstances
Changes to your circumstances or the circumstances of someone who lives with you may affect your benefit entitlement.
You should report any change in circumstances as soon as you can. If you do not report a change in your circumstances you may be overpaid benefit.
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