Non-dependants

Information if you have other adults living with you

What is a non-dependant?

If other adults live with you they are known as non-dependants and deductions may be made from Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support if they live with you as part of your household. By household we mean people who live with you and do not have their own liability to pay rent to you or the landlord of the property.

Non-dependants do not include:

  • your partner
  • young adults that the claimant gets child benefit for
  • joint tenants
  • the landlord
  • other tenants in the property who have their own tenancy agreement
  • people who rent a room from you under a commercial agreement (lodgers, sub-tenants or boarders).

How non-dependants affect your claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

Deductions are made depending on the non-dependants' gross income before tax and National Insurance. The deductions are lower if the non-dependant is getting Income Support , income related Employment & Support Allowance or income based Jobseekers' Allowance. There may still be a deduction even if the non-dependant has no income.

If the circumstances of your non-dependant change then you must tell us about the change straight away.

Where no non-dependant deduction is made

If you or your partner is registered blind, or receiving attendance allowance or the care component of Disability Living Allowance or the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment, no non-dependant deduction is made.

Non-dependant deduction rates

For working age claimants, the non-dependant deductions from a Council Tax Support award from 1 April 2017 are: 

  • £4 per week where the non-dependant is in receipt of Universal Credit, or is not in remunerative work or has a gross income of less than £189 per week.
  • £12 per week where the non-dependant has a gross income of more than £189 per week

For claimants over pensionable age the non-dependant deductions from a Council Tax Support award from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 are: 

  • £4.90 per week for income under £256 per week
  • £10.05 per week for income between £256 and £445 per week
  • £12.60 for income between £445 and £554 per week
  • £15.10 for income over £554 per week.