Lewisham Council Tax Non-Dependant Deductions Explained

What Are Non-Dependant Deductions?

If you claim Council Tax Reduction in Lewisham and another adult lives with you — an adult child, a sibling, a partner's relative, a friend — the council assumes they contribute toward the household's council tax. That assumed contribution is called a non-dependant deduction, and it's subtracted from your CTR award regardless of whether the person actually hands you any money.

The logic is blunt: another working-age adult in the property means the council expects them to share the cost. The deduction is fixed by government rates each year and applied per non-dependant, so two adult children earning different amounts could produce two separate deductions on the same claim.

2026/27 Non-Dependant Deduction Rates

The deduction depends on the non-dependant's gross weekly income and circumstances. For the current year:

• Under 18 or a full-time student: no deduction (fully disregarded)
• Under 25 and on Income Support, JSA (income-based), or ESA (income-related): no deduction
• Working with gross income under £192 per week: £20.40 per week
• Higher earners: rates increase in bands — the more they earn, the higher the weekly deduction

These rates are set nationally and apply in Lewisham alongside the borough's 75% maximum CTR cap and 25% minimum payment rule.

When Non-Dependant Deductions Are Waived Entirely

Certain circumstances remove all non-dependant deductions from your claim, regardless of how many adults live with you or what they earn:

• You or your partner receive PIP Daily Living component, Attendance Allowance, or DLA Care component: every non-dependant deduction is waived
• You or your partner are registered blind: all deductions waived
• The non-dependant is under 18: that person doesn't count
• The non-dependant is a full-time student (21+ hours per week, course lasting at least a year): no deduction for them

The disability and carer waiver is the most commonly missed. If you receive PIP Daily Living and have two adult children working full-time, Lewisham should apply zero non-dependant deductions to your CTR. If your decision notice shows deductions despite your PIP award, that's grounds for a written grievance.

How Partner Income Affects Your Claim

Your partner's income works differently from a non-dependant's. A partner (someone you live with as a couple, whether married or not) isn't treated as a non-dependant — their income is assessed jointly with yours in the means test.

Both incomes are added together, and both are measured against the household's applicable amount. This means a partner's wages push the combined household income higher, potentially reducing your CTR through the 20% taper. The partner's earnings disregard is £10 per week for couples, compared to £5 for a single person.

A non-dependant's income, by contrast, only triggers a fixed weekly deduction. They don't go through the full means test — the council just applies the flat rate based on their earnings bracket.

Check Whether a Second Adult Rebate Applies

If another adult's income may affect your council tax support, ask Lewisham whether a separate Second Adult Rebate is available in your circumstances and how to apply. Confirm whether it can be claimed alongside CTR before relying on it.

Getting the Right Deductions on Your Claim

Check your CTR decision notice carefully. It should list each non-dependant by name and the deduction applied. If someone is listed who has moved out, is under 18, or is a full-time student — or if you receive a qualifying disability benefit and deductions still appear — report the error immediately through the council's change of circumstances portal.

You'll need evidence: student certificates for students, your PIP or DLA award letter for the disability waiver, or wage slips for any non-dependant whose income has changed brackets.

For a complete walkthrough of Lewisham's CTR calculation — including how non-dependant deductions interact with the 75% cap, earnings disregards, and the taper rate — the Lewisham Council Tax Reduction guide breaks down every step with worked examples.

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