Non dependant deduction

Non-dependant rules

If you share your home with someone who is not your partner or a dependent child this may affect your benefit entitlement. Please enter the total number of other people who share your home and we will ask about them on the 'Other people who live with you' pages.

If you are hosting a person or family under the Homes for Ukraine scheme please don't enter any information about them into the calculator as they will not affect your benefit entitlement.

Types of people who might live with you

Non-dependants - these are often people like grown-up sons and daughters or elderly relatives. A non-dependant is a person who lives with you but is not liable for paying rent under a formal arrangement. If you live with a non-dependant your Housing Benefit, Universal Credit Housing Element and Council Tax Reduction may be reduced through rules on non-dependant deductions. In Universal Credit these are called housing cost contributions.

If you receive rent under a formal arrangement you should enter the number of sub-tenants or lodgers you have and tell us how much income you receive from them on the 'Net income' page. 

If you share your property with joint tenants e.g. a flat share they are not classed as non-dependants but having a joint tenant who is not your partner can affect the help you can receive with housing costs so you should include joint tenants here.

Who counts as a non-dependant

A non-dependant is a person who:

  • resides with you; and
  • is over 18; and
  • is not your partner or dependent child; and
  • is not liable for paying the rent (or council tax for Council Tax Support/Reduction)

Non-dependants are often people like grown-up sons and daughters or elderly relatives. 

Amount of deduction / contribution

The amount of the non-dependant deduction/ housing costs contribution depends on the benefit being claimed.

Universal Credit

Under Universal Credit rules there is a flat rate contribution (deduction) each month regardless of the non-dependant's income, for 2023/24 this is £85.73 a month.

There will be no contribution expected of non-dependants who are under 21, there will also be no contribution expected of non-dependants who are 21 or over and:

  • receiving Pension Credit
  • receiving the care component of Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate
  • receiving the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment
  • receiving Attendance Allowance 
  • receiving Carer's Allowance
  • the primary carer for a child aged 4 or under