Non-dependant charges
Other household members can affect your claim. You may receive less than the maximum amount if you have any non-dependants sharing your home.
Non-dependants are any adult family members over 18 who do not receive 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 receive according to the non-dependants circumstances. We call these “non-dependant charges”. The amounts of the deductions are set by the government.
If you or your partner are registered blind, in receipt of Attendance Allowance, or the care component of Disability Living Allowance there will no non-dependant charge.
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 Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based) or Income Support
- receiving Pension Credit
- a Youth Trainee
- 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 | £9.40 | Nil |
| Working but less than 16 hours per week | £9.40 | £2.85 |
| Under £122.00 | £9.40 | £2.85 |
| £122.00 to £179.99 | £21.55 | £2.85 |
| £180.00 to £233.99 | £29.60 | £5.70 |
| £234.00 to £309.99 | £48.45 | £5.70 |
| £310.00 to £386.99 | £55.20 | £7.20 |
| Over £387.00 | £60.60 | £8.60 |
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 £60.60 each week. We will also reduce your Council Tax Benefit by £8.60.
For people who have reached the age of 65
- If a non-dependant moves into the household and you or your partner are aged 65 or more there will be no charge for 26 weeks.
- If your non-dependant has a wage increase, we will continue to take the lower non-dependant charge until 26 weeks later.
Email this pageLast modified by: Kevin Murphy on 18/01/2012