Non-dependants
Any non-dependants who live with you can affect the amount of benefit you can get.
A non-dependant is somebody who normally lives with you, but isn't legally dependent on you for financial support.
This could include:
- Adult sons or daughters (aged 18 or over)
- Other relatives living in your household
- Anyone else who lives in your household who is not related to you
Is anyone not classed as a non-dependant?
For housing benefit and council tax support purposes, some people don't count as non-dependants, these include:
- Carers (employed by a charity that makes charges)
- Joint tenants
- Sub-tenants
- Boarders
- Tenants of owner-occupiers
- Landlords and their partners
How much is deducted for non-dependants?
The amount we deduct from your benefit depends on the income of your non-dependant(s), whether they're working and how many hours they work each week. It also depends on whether you're of working or pension age.
In cases where you have a non-dependant couple living with you, their gross income will be added together, and one deduction will be made from your benefit.
Weekly deduction figures
The following information shows the weekly deductions for each non-dependant based on different criteria.
Housing benefit deductions
- Non-dependant criteria
- In receipt of pension credit
- Weekly deduction
- £0.00
- Non-dependant criteria
Aged 18 to 24 and in receipt of:
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (assessment phase)
- Universal Credit (where the award is based on nil earnings / income)
- Weekly deduction
- £0.00
- Non-dependant criteria
Aged 25 or over and in receipt of:
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (assessment phase)
- Universal Credit (where the award is based on nil earnings / income)
- Weekly deduction
- £19.30
- Non-dependant criteria
Aged 18 or over and in receipt of:
- Contributionary-Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Contributionary-Based Employment and Support Allowance (any phase)
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (main phase)
- Weekly deduction
- £19.30
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over and not in paid work
- Weekly deduction
- £19.30
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of less than £176.00 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £19.30
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of between £176.00 and £255.99 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £44.40
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of between £256.00 and £333.99 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £60.95
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of between £334.00 and £444.99 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £99.65
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of between £445.00 and £553.99 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £113.50
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, working 16 hours a week or more and earning a gross income of £554.00 or more per week
- Weekly deduction
- £124.55
Council tax support scheme - working age
- Non-dependant criteria
Aged 18 or over in receipt of:
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit (where the award is based on nil earnings / income)
- Pension Credit
- Weekly deduction
- £0.00
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over in receipt of other benefits
- Weekly deduction
£4.90
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of less than £100 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £5.00
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of between £100 and £150.00 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £10.00
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of £150.01 or more per week
- Weekly deduction
- £20.00
Council tax support scheme - pension age
- Non-dependant criteria
Aged 18 or over in receipt of:
- Income Support
- Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit (where the award is based on nil earnings / income)
- Pension Credit
- Weekly deduction
- £0.00
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over in receipt of other benefits
- Weekly deduction
£4.90
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of between £256.00 and £445.00 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £10.05
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of between £445.01 and £554.00 per week
- Weekly deduction
- £12.60
- Non-dependant criteria
- Aged 18 or over, in remunerative work earning a gross income of £554.01 or more per week
- Weekly deduction
- £15.10
Are deductions always made?
Non-dependant deductions won't be made from your benefit if any of the following conditions apply:
- You or your partner are registered blind
- You or your partner receive the care component of disability living allowance or attendance allowance or the daily living component of personal independence payments, in respect of you or your partner
- The non-dependant is aged 16-17
- The non-dependant is a full time student (but deductions may be made during the summer holiday if they are working)
- The non-dependant is a prisoner
- The non-dependant normally lives elsewhere
- The non-dependant has been a patient in hospital for 52 weeks or more
- The non-dependant is in receipt of pension credit
If you or your partner are aged 65 or over the commencement or increase of a non-dependant deduction may be delayed for 26 weeks if:
- A non-dependant moves into your household
- An existing non-dependant has an increase to their income
For more information on non-dependants, please contact the Benefits Service.