Non dependant deduction rates from April 2026

Shelter published a table of non dependant deductions from housing benefit on 6 April 2026, setting out the weekly amounts councils can take off a claimant's housing benefit where other adults live in the home¹. The deductions range from £20.40 to £131.45 a week and depend on the other adult's weekly income before tax, sometimes called gross income¹.

The charity said the council can take money off housing benefit if other adults live with the claimant, for example friends or family members, and that the council expects those adults to contribute towards the rent¹. It added that housing benefit goes down even if the adult living in the home does not give the claimant money¹.

Source: Shelter, table of non dependant deductions from April 2026¹

Where the other adult does not work, the deduction is £20.40 a week¹. Shelter said the council might ask to see wage slips¹.

Shelter lists circumstances in which no deduction should be made. The council should not make a deduction if the claimant or their partner receives attendance allowance, the daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP), the care component of disability living allowance (DLA) or armed forces independence payment¹. There should also be no deduction if the claimant or their partner is blind or severely sight impaired, confirmed by a specialist eye doctor, and the council should be told if this happens after a housing benefit claim¹.

Certain people do not count as non dependants, including the claimant's partner, a joint tenant or lodger, a visiting guest, a friend or relative who is sofa surfing while homeless, and the landlord¹. No deductions are made for people on pension credit, or for young people under 25 who get universal credit (UC) and have no earned income¹. No deductions are made for full time students during term time or holidays, unless they work during the summer holidays, which the claimant must report to the council¹. Housing benefit should not be reduced if a family member is away from home, for example because they are in prison or serving in the armed forces¹.

Shelter said non dependants cannot get housing benefit to pay towards the claimant's rent¹. It also noted that different rules apply to universal credit housing cost contributions¹.

Why it matters for households

The deductions apply to people claiming housing benefit who share their home with at least one other adult who is not their partner, a joint tenant, a lodger, a visiting guest, a homeless friend or relative sofa surfing, or their landlord¹. The amount taken off depends on that adult's gross weekly income, so a household can lose between £20.40 and £131.45 a week from April 2026¹. The reduction applies whether or not the other adult actually hands over any money¹.

Claimants whose own circumstances or their partner's circumstances fall within the listed disability benefits, or who are blind or severely sight impaired, should not have a deduction applied¹. Households including a person on pension credit, a young person under 25 on universal credit with no earned income, or a full time student in term time or holidays are also outside the deduction¹. The rates are part of the annual April uprating of benefits.

What happens next

The table is dated from April 2026 and Shelter's page was last updated on 6 April 2026¹. Claimants are told to inform the council if a student living with them works during the summer holidays, and to report sight impairment confirmed after a housing benefit claim¹. No further dates have been reported.