Non Dependants
What is a Non-Dependant?
People who normally live in your property but who are not dependent on you for financial support are known as non-dependants.
Adult sons or daughters or other relatives living in your household are classed as non-dependants.
Anyone else who lives in your household that is not related to you can also be classed as a non-dependant.
For Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit purposes, some people don't count as non-dependants, such as:
- Carers (employed by a charity that makes charges)
- Joint tenants
- Sub-tenants
- Boarders
- Tenants of owner-occupiers
- Landlords and their partners
Any non-dependants that live with you can affect the amount of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you may receive.
Deductions are usually make from your Benefit for non-dependants over the age of 18. You will have to pay any difference between your rent/Council Tax and your Benefit entitlement after these non-dependant deductions have been applied.
For example (all figures in this example are weekly):
If your rent is £50.00
If Housing Benefit is £40.00 and non-dependant deduction is £17.00 each week,Housing Benefit = £23.00
Rent of £50.00 less Benefit of £23.00 would mean you pay rent of £27.00
If your Council Tax is £12.00
If Council Tax Benefit is £10.00 and non-dependant deduction is £2.30 each week, Benefit = £7.70
Council Tax of £12.00 less Council Tax Benefit of £7.70 would mean you pay Council Tax of £4.30
How much will the deduction be?
The amount we deduct from your benefit depends on the income of your non-dependant(s), whether they are working and how many hours they work each week.
If the non-dependant is working less than 16 hours a week, the lowest deduction applies. If they are doing paid work for 16 or more hours a week, the level of the deduction will depend on their gross income. This means income before stoppages like tax and National Insurance contributions).
In cases where you have a non-dependant couple living with you, their gross income will be added together, and one deduction will be made from your benefit (i.e. we will not make a deduction for each member of the non-dependant couple, we will make only one deduction for the two of them).
Non-Dependant deduction levels for 2008 - 2009
Housing Benefit
| Non-Dependant aged over 18, working 16 hours a week or more with gross income of:- | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Less than £116.00 | £7.40 |
| £116.00 to £ 171.99 | £17.00 |
| £172.00 to £222.99 | £23.35 |
| £223.00 to £295.99 | £38.20 |
| £296.00 to £368.99 | £43.50 |
| £369.00 or more | £47.75 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit | NIL |
| Aged 25 or over and receiving Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or aged 18, or over and not in remunerative work | £7.40 |
| Aged less than 25 and receiving Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance | NIL |
Council Tax Benefit
| Non-Dependant aged over 18, working 16 hours a week or more with gross income of:- | Weekly |
|---|---|
| Less than £172.00 | £2.30 |
| £172.00 to £295.99 | £4.60 |
| £296.00 to £368.99 | £5.80 |
| £369.00 or more | £6.95 |
| Others aged 18 or over | £2.30 |
| In receipt of Pension Credit and in remunerative work | NIL |
| In receipt of Pension Credit and not in remunerative work, or receiving Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance | NIL |
Are deductions always made?
No deductions will be made from your Benefit for non-dependants living with you if any of the following conditions apply:
- You or your partner are registered blind
- You or your partner are receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance in respect of you or your partner.
- The non-dependant is aged 16-17
- The non-dependant is a full time student (but deductions may be made during the summer holiday if they are working)
- The non-dependant is a prisoner
- The non-dependant normally lives elsewhere
- The non-dependant has been a patient in hospital for 52 weeks or more
- The non-dependant is in receipt of Pension Credit
| email: | benefits@northshropshiredc.gov.uk |
|---|---|
| telephone: | 01939 238450 |
| fax: | 01939 238456 |
