Non-dependant benefit deductions

We reduce Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support for each 'non-dependant' living in your home.

A non-dependant is someone who normally lives with you, and is:

• an adult son or daughter
• a relative
• a friend

For non-dependant couples, we add the income of both members of the couple together to calculate the gross income figure.

Boarders, sub-tenants and joint tenants are not non-dependants.

How we calculate non-dependant benefit deductions

We make fixed deductions from your entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support based on the following:

• the non-dependant's age and weekly income, not what they pay for their keep (this is not considered as contributing to your income)
• the rules and amounts for these deductions are set by the government and normally changed each April

Note: Even if the non-dependant doesn't pay for their keep, we still make the non-dependant deduction from your entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

If a non-dependant moves out, you must provide us with a forwarding address.

Amount deducted from Housing Benefit if working 16 hours or more

For non-dependants aged 18 or over and working on average more than 16 hours per week, we deduct the following amounts (effective from April 2020):

Amount deducted from Council Tax Support if working 16 hours or more

For non-dependants aged 18 or over and working on average more than 16 hours per week, we deduct the following amounts (effective from April 2020):

Amount deducted from Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support if working under 16 hours

For non-dependants not in work, or those working under 16 hours per week, we deduct the following amounts (effective from April 2020):

Exceptions and special rules for non-dependant benefit deductions

We do not make deductions for non-dependants if you or your partner:

• are registered blind or were so in the last 28 weeks
• receive Attendance Allowance
• receive Constant Attendance Allowance
• receive the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
• receive the care component of Disability Living Allowance (at any rate)

We do not make any deductions if the non-dependant:

• is under 18
• is a youth trainee
• 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)

Special rules apply to delay deductions for those aged 65 or over if:

• you or your partner are aged 65 or over, and
• a non-dependant moves in (and a deduction would normally apply to them); or
• a non-dependant has a change in circumstances that would mean that a higher deduction should be made

Deductions start 26 weeks after the non-dependant moved in, or 26 weeks from their change in circumstances.

Contact us straight away if you think we're deducting an incorrect amount from your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support so that we can check this.

Also see

• Previous years non-dependant deductions
• Get benefits advice
• Claim housing benefit
• Report a change in circumstances