Non-dependant charges
Other household members can affect your claim. You may get less than the maximum amount if you have any non-dependants sharing your home.
Non-dependants are any adult family members over 18 who does not get child benefit. For example adult sons, daughters and parents count as non-dependants. They can also be friends who live with you but do not pay you rent.
The government states that these adult family members or friends should help you pay the rent and council tax. We will reduce the amount of benefit you get according to the non-dependants circumstances. We call this “non-dependant charges”. We must make these non-dependant charges.
The amounts of the deductions are set by the government. Whether or not the non dependant pays you money to make up the deduction is a private matter between you and the non-dependant.
We will not make a non-dependant charge if you or your partner are registered blind or get Attendance Allowance. We will also not make a charge if you or your partner get the care component of Disability Living Allowance.
The amount that we will reduce your benefit by
The amount we reduce your benefit by depends on the non-dependant’s circumstances. No charge will be taken if the non-dependant is:
- under 18
- under 25 and in receipt of JSA(IB) and/or IS
- receiving Pension Credit
- receiving a Youth Training Scheme Allowance
- a full time student
- in prison on remand
- has been in hospital for more than 52 weeks
If your non-dependant works over 16 hours a week, the amount we charge depends on their gross income. This is earnings before tax and National Insurance contributions are taken off.
| Gross Income (per week) | Deductions from Housing Benefit entitlement (per week) | Deductions from Council Tax Benefit entitlement (per week) |
|---|---|---|
| Aged under 25 receiving Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or receiving Pension Credit. | Nil | Nil |
| Aged 25 or older receiving Income Support / Income Based Job Seekers Allowance | £7.40 | Nil |
| Working but less than 16 hours per week | £7.40 | £2.30 |
| Under £116.00 | £7.40 | £2.30 |
| £116.00 to £171.99 | £17.00 | £2.30 |
| £172.00 to £222.99 | £23.35 | £4.60 |
| £223.00 to £295.99 | £38.20 | £4.60 |
| £296.00 to £368.99 | £43.50 | £5.80 |
| Over £369.00 | £47.75 | £6.95 |
For any other non-dependant we will reduce your Housing Benefit by £7.40 each week. We will also reduce your Council Tax Benefit by £2.30 each week.
If you do not provide evidence of your non-dependant’s income, we will have to take a maximum deduction. We will reduce your Housing Benefit by £47.75 each week. We will also reduce your Council Tax Benefit by £6.95.
For people who are over 65
- If you are already getting benefit and have changes that increase your non-dependant charge this will be ignored for 26 weeks. For example, if a new non-dependant has moved in, we will not make any non-dependant charge until 26 weeks later.
- If your non-dependant has a wage increase, we will continue to take the lower non-dependant charge until 26 weeks later.
