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Non-dependants

Non-dependants are people who live with you who are not your partner or people who are named on your tenancy agreement.

These could be:

  • Children who have left school
  • Relatives
  • Friends

If they are over 18, they are expected to contribute towards your housing costs and/or Council Tax. The government and the council will set these contribution amounts, and these will be deducted from your benefit entitlement.  These contributions are called a “non-dependant deduction”. Regardless of whether your non-dependant physically does contribute to your housing costs or council tax, the deductions will be made from your entitlement.

Non-dependant deductions are based on the non-dependants' gross weekly income (pay before stoppages plus any other income including benefits). The deductions are on a sliding scale based on the income of the non-dependant.

You must let us know if there are any non-dependants living with you.

There is no deduction for any non-dependant at all, if the claimant or partner:

  • Is blind or has recently regained their sight; or
  • Receives to care component of disability living allowance; or
  • Receives attendance allowance; or
  • Receives the daily living allowance of personal independence payment; or

The non-dependant fits one of the criteria below:

  • Aged under 18 years of age
  • On work-based training for young people
  • In prison or similar forms of detention or on remand
  • A patient who has been in hospital for 52 weeks or more
  • A temporary resident or visitor or any other person whose normal home is elsewhere
  • A full-time student (you will need to provide proof of this in the form of a student certificate from their place of education)

If two non-dependants are partners:

  • We may take the higher of the deductions, which apply and don’t count the other partner (but we must add together the income of both partners if both are working).
  • By 'partners' we mean a couple who live together as if they are married.

Deductions for Non-Dependants aged 18 or over:

Please click on the links below to find out how much non-dependant deductions are:

Council Tax Non-Dependant deductions for 2025 - 2026

For each non-dependant per week

Income type/threshold/circumstance 2024/2025 (£) 2025/26 (£)
Over 18 working over 16 hours and:    
Gross weekly income: less than £256.00 4.90 5.00
Gross weekly income: £266 to £462.99 10.05 10.20
Gross weekly income: £463 to £576.99 12.60 12.80
Gross weekly income: £577 and above 15.10 15.35
Over 18 and not working or working less than 16 hours:    
In receipt of state Pension Credit, Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance 0.00 0.00
In receipt of Employment Support Allowance (Income Related), both assessment phase and main phase (component awarded) 0.00 0.00
In receipt of Universal credit where the award is calculated on the basis that the customer has no earned income 0.00 0.00
In receipt of Universal Credit, with earned income and works less than 16 hours 4.90 5.00
In receipt of Pension Credit, 0.00 0.00
Under 18 – any circumstances 0.00 0.00
Any other circumstances (including non-dependant not working) 4.90 5.00

 

*Remunerative work is defined as paid work for 16 or more hours per week or work 16 hours or more a week in the expectation of payment (e.g.self-employment)

Housing Benefit Non-Dependant deductions for 2025 - 2026

Income type/threshold/circumstance 2024/25 (£) 2025/26(£)
Over 18 working over 16 hours and:    
Gross income: less than £183 19.30 19.65
Gross income: £183 to £265.99 44.40 45.15
Gross income: £266 to £347.99 60.95 62.00
Gross income: £348 to £462.99 99.65 101.35
Gross income: £463 to £576.99 113.50 115.45
Gross income: £577 and above 124.55 126.65
Over 18 and not working or working less than 16 hours:    
Aged under 25 and in receipt of Income Support or Income based Jobseekers Allowance Nil Nil
Aged under 25 and in receipt of Employment Support Allowance (Income Related) assessment phase (no components awarded) Nil Nil
Aged under 25 and in receipt of Universal credit where the award is calculated on the basis that the customer has no earned income Nil Nil
Aged over 25 and in receipt of Income Support, Income based Jobseekers Allowance or Universal credit with no earned income 19.30 19.65
In receipt of Universal Credit, with earned income and works less than 16 hours 19.30 19.65
In receipt of Employment Support Allowance (Income Related) main phase any age 19.30 19.65
In receipt of Pension Credit Nil Nil
Under 18 – any circumstances Nil Nil
Any other circumstances (including non-dependant not working) 19.30 19.65