Other adults living with you

If you have any adults living with you other than your partner it will normally affect the amount of Housing Benefit and/ or Council Tax Reduction you receive.

In most cases other adults will be treated as non-dependants, however if they are not related to you and you rent out your property on a commercial basis they may be treated as either ‘lodgers’ or 'sub-tenants' or joint tenants.

What is a non-dependant?

A non-dependant is someone aged 18 years or over who lives with you. Examples of a non-dependant would be a son, a daughter , elderly relative or friend.

How does a non-dependant affect my benefit payment? 

If you have a non-dependant living in your home, we may have to reduce your benefit by a fixed amount. This is called a non-dependant deduction.

How much are non-dependant deductions?

The amount of deduction made depends on how much gross income your non-dependant has and whether they are working over 16 hours a week. By gross income we mean all the money they get including earnings (before tax and National Insurance is deducted), social security benefits and interest paid on savings. We will need to see original proof of the non-dependant’s income and capital, for example pay slips and savings pass books.

If they fail to provide proof of income we will make the appropriate deduction based on the available evidence. In some cases the highest deduction may be applied.

Further information is available in the other people living with you leaflet.