Non-dependants are usually adult sons, daughters, other relatives or friends who live in the claimant's household on a non-commercial basis.

 

Some claimants receive money from their non-dependants to pay for their keep. This may include a contribution towards rent, council tax, food or other household expenses. This money is not counted as the claimants income, but instead, deductions are made from the claimants Housing and Council Tax benefit. These deductions often do not relate to the amount that the non-dependant pays. They are fixed deductions that apply even if the non-dependant pays the claimant nothing at all.

 

 

 

 

There are also no deductions for non-depepndants where the claimant or partner:

 

 

 

For non-dependants in remunerative work, there are up to 6 possible levels of deduction that are applied to Housing and Council Tax benefit, depending on the level of gross income.

 

For non-dependants that are not in remunerative work, the lowest level of deduction applies for both Housing and Council Tax benefit.  We still need the claimant to provide proof of the non-dependants income to verify that the lowest deduction is applicable, to comply with the Verification Framework.

 

Where we do not know (or do not have documentary proof) of the non-dependants income the Council applies the highest level of deduction until the claimant provides the relevant proof.  The Council takes gross income into account. 

 

 

 

On 06.10.03 for all claims where the claimant and / or partner are aged 65 over, the rules changed for the way in which non-dependants are treated.

 

In these cases, where a non-dependant moves into a property, or has an income increase that would result in a higher non-dependant deduction, the change only affects the claimants benefit 26 weeks after the change actually took place.