Non-dependant deductions
Non-dependants (adults who live with you) may affect your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Over-18s living with you - relatives, friends and children who have left school or college who you no longer get Child Benefit for - are expected to pay towards housing costs and Council Tax.
They are called non-dependants. You must tell us about all their weekly income and provide evidence. This includes wages before deductions for tax and national insurance, Universal Credit, benefits, pensions, tax credits and interest on savings.
You must also tell us about changes affecting non-dependants such as income changes, moving out or new people moving in.
We take set amounts off your benefit for them based on their income, even if they don't give you anything for housing costs. If you can't tell us their income, the law says we must still make a deduction.
If your non-dependants are a couple, we take one deduction: the higher of the deductions that apply. If both are working, we base the deduction on their joint income.
When we don't make deductions for non-dependants
We don't make non-dependant deductions if you or your partner are registered blind or getting one of these benefits:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance - care component
- Personal Independence Payment - the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
We don't make any deduction if the non-dependant:
- Is under 18
- Is under 25 and on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment Support Allowance (assessment phase) or Universal Credit based on no earned income
- Is on work-based training for young people and getting a training allowance
- Is a full-time student or student nurse
- Has been in hospital for more than 52 weeks
- Is in legal custody (on remand or after being sentenced)
- Usually lives elsewhere - but unless you tell us their permanent address, we will make a deduction
- Is getting Pension Credit
- Is your (or your partner's) son, daughter, step-son or step-daughter in the armed forces, while they are deployed on operations within the UK and abroad. We will still make the deduction while they are living at home with you (unless you are in the first group above)
In addition, we don't make a deduction from Council Tax Support if the non-dependant:
- Is under 25 and on income-related Employment Support Allowance (main phase)
- Is under 25 on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment Support Allowance (main phase or assessment phase) or Universal Credit based on no earned income
- Is an apprentice in employment to learn a trade, profession or business and studying for an accredited qualification and paid no more than £195 a week before tax and insurance
- Is a student working during the summer holidays
- Is severely mentally disabled/impaired and getting certain disability benefits or allowances. We also need a doctor's certificate as evidence of their condition. There may also be a council tax discount available if they are over 18
If you have a lodger or if a carer lives with you
Lodgers
A lodger isn't a non-dependant. They live with you on a commercial basis and we treat their rent as your income, to work out your benefit. You still need to tell us about them.
Carers
Someone living at your property to care for you or your partner, employed by a charitable or voluntary organisation and paid by you or by a public body (like the Council) does not count as a non-dependant. We won't make a deduction from your benefit for them.
If you have regular overnight care provided by someone who does not live with you but has use of a separate bedroom when they stay overnight to care for you, we need to know about this to help us decide how much help you can get with your rent.
Special rules for over 65s (easements)
If you or your partner are aged 65 or over and neither is getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment Support Allowance we will
- Delay making deductions for new non-dependants for 26 weeks.
- Delay increasing deductions for 26 weeks where your non-dependant has a change of circumstances. If the change means deductions reduce, we will reduce them straightaway if you tell us in time.
Non-dependant deductions 2024/25
Aged 18 or over and in remunerative work* or receiving Universal Credit and remunerative work. | 53 Week | 49 Week |
Gross income: £554 or over | £124.55 | £134.93 |
Gross income: £445 to £553.99 | £113.50 | £122.96 |
Gross income: £334 to £444.99 | £99.65 | £107.95 |
Gross income: £256 to £333.99 | £60.95 | £66.03 |
Gross income: £176 to £255.99 | £44.40 | £48.10 |
Gross income: less than £176 | £19.30 | £20.91 |
Others aged 18 or over | 53 Week | 49 Week |
In receipt of Pension Credit | nil | nil |
Over 18 in receipt of Universal Credit and working, but less than 16 hours | £19.30 | £20.91 |
In receipt of main phase ESA | £19.30 | £20.91 |
Aged under 25 and on IS or JSA(IB) or ESA(IR) which does not include an amount for the support component or work-related activity component | nil | nil |
Aged 25 or over and on IS or JSA(IB), or aged 18 or over and not in remunerative work | £19.30 | £20.91 |
Aged under 25 and in receipt of Universal Credit and not working | nil | nil |
Aged over 25 or over and in receipt of Universal Credit and not working | £19.30 | £20.91 |
Local Council Tax Support non-dependant deductions 2024/25
Aged 18 or over and in remunerative work* or receiving Universal Credit and in remunerative work | |
Gross income: £544 or over | £15.10 |
Gross income: £445 to £544 | £12.60 |
Gross income: £256 to £445 | £10.05 |
Gross income: under £256 | £4.90 |
Others aged 18 or over | £4.90 |
In receipt of Pension Credit, IS/JSA(Income Based), ESA (IR) or Universal Credit (no earnings) | NIL |