Non-Dependant Deductions
- When deductions do not apply
- People aged 65 or over
- Non-Dependant Deductions in Council Tax Reduction
- Non-Dependant Deductions in Housing Benefit
We normally have to reduce your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for every non-dependant who lives in your home. We call this a 'non-dependant deduction'. Non-dependants are normally adult children or relatives, but they can also be friends or anyone else who lives with you.
We make a weekly deduction for each non-dependant. The amount of deduction depends on their income and circumstances.
You must tell us about changes in the circumstances of your non-dependants.
When deductions do not apply
We will not make a deduction if you or your partner:
- is registered blind, or
- gets Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (care component), Personal Independence Payment (Daily Living component) or an Armed Forces Independence Payment.
We will not make a deduction if the non-dependant:
- is under 18 years old
- is in prison
- normally lives elsewhere
- is a full-time student
- gets Pension Credit
- is aged under 25 and gets Income Support (IS) or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA(IB))
- is aged under 25 and gets assessment phase income-related Employment Support Allowance (ESA(IR))
There are other circumstances where a deduction may not apply that cannot be listed above due to differences in the rules for HB and CTR and the rules that apply to pensioners and non-pensioners. We only make a deduction where none of these circumstances apply.
People aged 65 or over
If you or your partner are aged 65 or over, non-dependant deductions can be delayed for 26 weeks if:
- a non-dependant moves in with you; or,
- a non-dependant who lives with you has a change in circumstances which leads to an increase in the amount of deduction.
However, the 26 week delay does not apply if:
- a dependant who lives with you becomes a non-dependant; or,
- a non-dependant ceases to be a student.
Non-Dependant deductions in Council Tax Reduction from April 2021
Most rates of non-dependant deduction in Council Tax Reduction increase from 1 April 2021 for pensioners and people who are not pensioners.
The following tables show the weekly deductions for 2020 and 2021. The lower rate and income bands are the same in both years.
Non-dependant Deductions in Council Tax Reduction | April 2020 (£) | April 2021 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dependant gets Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance | Nil | Nil |
| Non-dependant is entitled to Universal Credit and is not working (pensioner Council Tax Reduction) | Nil | Nil |
| Non-dependant is entitled to Universal Credit and is not working (non-pensioner Council Tax Reduction) | 4.05 | 4.05 |
| Non-dependant is 18 or over and is not working or works less than 16 hours a week | 4.05 | 4.05 |
Non-dependant is 18 or over and works at least 16 hours a week or is entitled to Universal Credit and is working | ||
| - gross weekly income greater than £469 | 12.40 | 12.45 |
| - gross weekly income of £377 to £468.99 | 10.35 | 10.40 |
| - gross weekly income of £217 to £376.99 | 8.25 | 8.30 |
| - gross weekly income no more than £216.99 | 4.05 | 4.05 |
You must tell us about changes in the circumstances of your non-dependants.
Non-Dependant deductions in Housing Benefit from April 2021
Non-dependant deduction rates in Housing Benefit increase from 1 April 2021 for pensioners and people who are not pensioners.
The following table shows the weekly deduction rates for 2020 and 2021. The income bands are the same in both years.
ND Deductions in Housing Benefit | April 2020 (£) | April 2021 (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-dependant is 25 or over and gets Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance | 15.85 | 15.95 |
| Non-dependant is 25 or over and is entitled to Universal Credit | 15.85 | 15.95 |
| Non-dependant is 18 or over and is not working or works less than 16 hours a week | 15.85 | 15.95 |
| Non-dependant is 18 - 24 and gets main phase income-related Employment and Support Allowance | 15.85 | 15.95 |
| Non-dependant is 18 - 24 and does not get main phase income-related Employment and Support Allowance | Nil | Nil |
| Non-dependant is 18 - 24 and is entitled to Universal Credit and is not working | Nil | Nil |
| Non-dependant gets Pension Credit | Nil | Nil |
Non-dependant is 18 or over and works at least 16 hours a week or is entitled to Universal Credit and is working | ||
| - gross weekly income not less than £469 | 102.35 | 102.85 |
| - gross weekly income of £377 to £468.99 | 93.25 | 93.70 |
| - gross weekly income of £283 to £376.99 | 81.90 | 82.30 |
| - gross weekly income of £217 to £282.99 | 50.05 | 50.30 |
| - gross weekly income of £149 to £216.99 | 36.45 | 36.65 |
| - gross weekly income no more than £148.99 | 15.85 | 15.95 |
You must tell us about changes in the circumstances of your non-dependants.