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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 and/or Council Tax Benefit 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 2007/8 and 2008/9.
| Non-dependant's circumstances | Housing Benefit |
Council Tax Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work) | ||
| Gross income £353.00 or more | £47.75 | £6.95 |
| Gross income between £283.00 & £352.99 | £43.50 | £5.80 |
| Gross income between £213.00 & £282.99 | £38.20 | £4.60 |
| Gross income between £164.00 & £212.99 | £23.35 | £4.60 |
| Gross income between £111.00 & £163.99 | £17.00 | £2.30 |
| Gross income less than £111.00 | £7.40 | £2.30 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged 25 or over | £7.40 | Nil |
| In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged under 25 | Nil | Nil |
| Others not in remunerative work | £7.40 | £2.30 |
| Non-dependant's circumstances | Housing |
Council Tax Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Working 16+ hours per week (in remunerative work) | ||
Gross income £369.00 of more |
£47.75 | £6.95 |
| Gross income between £296.00 & £368.99 | £43.50 | £5.80 |
| Gross income between £223.00 & £295.99 | £38.20 | £4.60 |
| Gross income between £172.00 & £222.99 | £23.35 | £4.60 |
Gross income between £116.00 & £171.99 |
£17.00 | £2.30 |
| Gross income less than £116.00 | £7.40 | £2.30 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged 25 or over | £7.40 | Nil |
| In receipt of Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance and aged under 25 | Nil | Nil |
| Others not in remunerative work | £7.40 | £2.30 |
There are no deductions taken in the following situations:
- If the non-dependant is aged under 18 (for example, children aged 16 or 17 who have left school and who are working)
- 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, if a customer has two adult children living with them and each child earns more than £353.00 gross per week, the deductions that must be included in the benefit calculation are:
- Housing Benefit: 2 x £47.75 = £95.50
- Council Tax Benefit: 2 x £6.95 = £13.90
However, if there is a non-dependant couple, 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 one deduction of £43.50 would be used in the Housing Benefit calculation.
An information leaflet about non-dependants is available on the information leaflets page of the website.
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