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What are non-dependants?

A non-dependant is someone who lives with the customer other than:

  • their partner
  • someone who pays rent on a commercial basis (e.g. a boarder or lodger)
  • a dependant child (for whom Child Benefit is in payment)
  • a joint tenant or joint owner

Typically, non-dependants are adult sons or daughters living with their parents, or elderly parents living with one of their children.

Non-dependants must be included in the Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support assessment and a deduction is usually taken in respect of any non-dependant aged 18 or over. The deduction that is taken is based on the non-dependant's gross weekly income, and not any 'house keeping' that the non-dependant may (or may not) pay the benefit claimant. The tables below show the weekly deductions for 2014/15 and 2015/16.

2017/18 deductions - Housing Benefit
Non-dependant's circumstancesHousing Benefit Amount
Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work):  
 - Gross income £430.00 or more £94.45
 - Gross income between £346.00 & £429.99 £86.95
- Gross income between £259.00 & £345.99 £76.35
 - Gross income between £200.00 & £258.99 £46.65
 - Gross income between £136.00 & £199.99 £34.00
 - Gross income less than £136.00 £14.80
In receipt of Pension Credit £Nil
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged 25 or over £14.80
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged under 25 £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (assessment phase) £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (main phase) £14.80
In receipt of contribution-based Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase) £14.80
Others not in remunerative work £14.80
2018/19 deductions - Housing Benefit
Non-dependant's circumstancesHousing Benefit Amount
Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work):  
 - Gross income £439.00 or more £98.30
 - Gross income between £354.00 & £438.99 £89.55
 - Gross income between £265.00 & £353.99 £78.65
 - Gross income between £204.00 & £264.99 £48.05
 - Gross income between £139.00 & £203.99 £35.00
 - Gross income less than £139.00 £15.25
In receipt of Pension Credit £Nil
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged 25 or over £15.25
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged under 25 £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (assessment phase) £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (main phase) £15.25
In receipt of contribution-based Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase) £15.25
Others not in remunerative work £15.25
2017/18 deductions - Council Tax Support
Non-dependant's circumstancesCouncil Tax Support Amount
Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work):  
 - Gross income £424.20 or more £11.55
 - Gross income between £341.40 & £424.19 £9.65
 - Gross income between £196.95 & £341.39 £7.65
 - Gross income less than £196.95 £3.80
In receipt of Pension Credit £Nil
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance; £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase) £Nil
In receipt of contribution-based Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase); £3.80
Others not in remunerative work £3.80
2018/19 deductions - Council Tax Support
Non-dependant's circumstancesCouncil Tax Support Amount
Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work):  
 - Gross income £436.90 or more £11.90
 - Gross income between £351.65 & £436.89 £9.95
 - Gross income between £202.85 & £351.64 £7.90
 - Gross income less than £202.85 £3.90
In receipt of Pension Credit £Nil
In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance; £Nil
In receipt of income-related Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase) £Nil
In receipt of contribution-based Employment & Support Allowance (assessment or main phase); £3.90
Others not in remunerative work £3.90

There are no deductions taken in the following situations:

  • If the non-dependant is aged under 18
  • When the customer (or their partner) is in receipt of the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance
  • When the customer is registered blind

A deduction must be taken in respect of each non-dependant. For example, (based on 2018/19 figures) if a customer has two adult children living with them and each child earns more than £439.00 gross per week, the deductions that must be included in the benefit calculation are:

  • Housing Benefit: 2 x £98.30 = £196.00
  • Council Tax Support: 2 x £11.90 = £23.80

However, if there is a non-dependant couple then their joint gross weekly income is used to calculate the deduction. For example, a benefit claimant's son and his wife live with her; the son earns £150.00 gross per week and his wife earns £175.00 gross per week. Their joint gross earnings are £325.00 per week so (based on the figures for 2018/19) one deduction of £78.65 would be used in the Housing Benefit calculation.

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