We use cookies to understand how you use our website, to remember your settings and improve our services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. If you accept the cookies and then change your mind, you can remove them in your browser settings.

Non-dependents

A non-dependent is someone who normally lives with you such as an adult child, relative or friend and is not liable to pay Council Tax. They are not:

  • a joint tenant
  • a sub-tenant
  • a resident landlord, or a member of the resident landlord’s family
  • someone who lives with you to care for you or your partner, and is employed by a charitable or voluntary body which charges you for the care
  • your child and you receive Child Benefit for them
  • your partner

An amount for each non-dependent is deducted from your maximum Housing Benefit entitlement. This is to reflect the non-dependent’s assumed contribution to your housing costs. Any actual contribution towards housing costs is ignored. The amount varies according to the age and income of the non-dependent.

We will make a deduction for each non-dependent. Only one non-dependent deduction applies for non-dependent couples but this would be based on their combined income.

Non-dependent deductions for Housing Benefit

For a non-dependent aged 18 or over:

Combined weekly income Weekly amount to be deducted
Under £176.00£19.30
 £176.00 to £255.99£44.40
£256.00 to £333.99£60.95
£334.00 to £444.99£99.65
£445.00 to £553.99£113.50
£554.00+£124.55
For a non-dependent who is:Amount to be deducted 
in receipt of Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)£0.00
aged less than 25, and in receipt of Income Support, Employment Support Allowance Income Related (ESA IR) or Jobseekers Allowance Income Based (JSA IB)£0.00
aged 25 or over, and in receipt of Income Support, ESA IR or JSA IB£19.30
aged 18 or over, and in receipt of ESA Contributions Based or JSA Contributions Based£19.30
aged 18 or over and not economically active (not working, studying or claiming benefits)£19.30
aged 16 or 17, regardless of their income£0.00                               
Receiving ESA IR main phase (any age)£19.30
aged under 25, is receiving Universal Credit and has no earned income£0.00
aged 25 and over, is receiving Universal Credit and has no earned income£19.30

Highest deduction

When we are unable to work out the income of your non-dependent we will apply the highest deduction. This assumes that your non-dependent’s gross weekly income is £554 or more.

No deduction will be taken if the non-dependent:

  • has been in hospital for more than 52 weeks
  • is a full-time student. However, we could take a deduction from your Council Tax support in the summer holidays if the student works, unless you or your partner are aged 65 or more
  • is under 18
  • normally lives elsewhere

We also do not take a non-dependent deduction if the claimant or their partner:

  • is registered blind or is treated as registered blind
  • receives Attendance Allowance
  • receives the care component of Disability Living Allowance