How to tell us about a change in circumstances

Downloads

Download the Benefits for people with non-dependants leaflet [PDF, 201 Kb]

Further information

Who is affected?

Everybody who has a non-dependant in their household. In most cases we take off the money when we work out your benefit. We don’t make any deductions if you, or your partner, are blind or if you get Attendance Allowance or the care component of Disability Living allowance.

There are special rules about when the deduction applies in the case of customers over 65 years of age.

Who is a non-dependant?

Anybody who lives with you – it could be a child who has left school, an elderly relative, a friend, a relation

Except:

• We don’t count people who are staying with you for a while but with a home of their own: for example they could be visiting for a few weeks, or helping out while you’re ill.
• We don’t make a deduction for anyone under 18 or a child you still receive Child Benefit for.
• If two non-dependants are partners we take the higher of the deductions that apply and don’t count the other partner.
• We don’t take a deduction for a professional carer who lives with you and is caring for you and/or your partner.
• We don’t count students. But we do count them during the summer vacation if they are working.

There are special rules for commercial boarders – see below.

Lodgers

There are special rules if you let out part of your property separately or take in boarders: we don’t make the deductions, but we count part of what your tenant pays you as income (unless you’re on Income Support/Income-based Jobseekers Allowance).

How much could I lose?

The amounts we have to take off your rent/rebate allowances are as follows:

Full-time work deductions: If your non-dependant is over 18 and works full-time, we take off an amount that depends on their gross pay (before stoppages) plus any other income. If they have a partner we count their income too, but we don’t count any Attendance Allowance or Disability Allowance.

‘Full-time work’ means working 16 hours or more a week.

Lowest deduction – not in full-time work: If your non-dependant doesn’t work full-time, we take off the lowest amount, unless they are in the list under no deductions (our benefits for people with non-dependants leaflet can be downloaded from the 'download' section above).

No deductions at all if your non-dependant is:

• aged under 18;
• aged 18-24 on Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance (Income Based);
• on a Youth Training Scheme;
• has been in hospital for more than six weeks;
• in legal custody (on remand or after sentence), or;
• a full-time student.

IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF YOUR NON-DEPENDANT’S INCOME THEN THE HIGHEST DEDUCTION WILL BE MADE

Are we taking the wrong amount off your Housing Benefit?

• Maybe a non-dependant has gone on to Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance (Income Based)/Employment and Support Allowance.
• Maybe a non-dependant has left your home.
• Maybe we’ve made a mistake
• Use the attached form to tell us.

Do I have to make the non-dependant pay a share?

This is entirely up to you – it is usually fair to expect non-dependants to pay a share of your household expenses, but you can charge what you like or nothing at all. Whatever you do, the law forces us to make these cuts in your benefit. If non-dependants don’t pay their share you may find it hard to pay your rent and may ultimately lose your home.

Can Social Security pay any of my money direct to cover these cuts from my benefit?

No! Nor can they pay any of a non-dependant’s benefit direct to you and your landlord.

Important

Don’t forget to let us know about any changes as soon as possible. You must also tell us if anyone new comes to stay with you - use the form attached to this page (under 'printable forms' above).

Independent advice

If you want some independent advice, why not contact the Welfare Rights and Debt Adviser or contact one of the Citizens' Advice Bureaux.

Related pages on this website

• Welfare, benefits & debt advice
• Citizens Advice Bureaux