Non dependent adult

restless6

Hello

I receive partial housing and council tax benefits .
I rang to inform the council that my oldest son went to uni and they have charged me £20 per week for the period between the end of August - when his child benefit ended - until the 21 St September when his course started .
He had no income and I was supporting him yet they still charge me extra for him being here !
Do you think there is any possibility of a successful appeal over this charge ?

rogerblack

In general - non-dependant adults who live with you will affect HB/CTB.
This is because they are assumed to have some income - your son could have claimed JSA - and been able to contribute.

(In some cases there are exceptions - I don't think waiting for uni is one)

restless6

I had no idea he could have claimed jsa.
He had never paid tax so how is that possible ?
Too late now obviously anyway !

pmlindyloo

restless6 wrote: »

I had no idea he could have claimed jsa.
He had never paid tax so how is that possible ?
Too late now obviously anyway !

It doesn't matter that he hasn't worked. It would have been based on the fact that he had no income/savings. Two types of JSA - contribution based (based on NI contributions) and income based - based on income and savings.

As you say, too late now.

restless6

Interesting - I don't know everything about all the benefits and no one at school advised them of this - typical !!

I guess if he had an income it would have just been deducted from the housing benefit anyway .

It's funny now that my tax credits and child benefit have gone down- the amount of rent and council tax I pay has gone up !
I really don't understand how they work these allowances out ��

pmlindyloo

restless6 wrote: »

Interesting - I don't know everything about all the benefits and no one at school advised them of this - typical !!

I guess if he had an income it would have just been deducted from the housing benefit anyway .

It's funny now that my tax credits and child benefit have gone down- the amount of rent and council tax I pay has gone up !
I really don't understand how they work these allowances out ��

Do check your award letter re: HB and CT support and make sure they have the correct figures.

For instance, sometimes councils make an incorrect decision about bedroom allowance when your non dependent goes to university. You are allowed a bedroom for your son on the proviso that he will return within 52 weeks and intends to return to live with you.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/counciltaxhousingandbenefits/newunderoccupationrulesforhousingbenefit.htm

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Most Local Authorities should have details of the non deps deductions taken. For example:- http://www.merton.gov.uk/advice-benefits/benefits/hb-ctb/benefitsclaim/nondependant.htm

Aged 18 or more and not working or working less than 16 hours per week HB Deduction - £14.55 CTR deduction - £3.74

The non dep deduction taken from CTR may vary from Council to Council depending on their CTR rules.

This is a bizare rule where a non dep with no income results in a non dep deduction being taken. It is non appealable.

restless6

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Do check your award letter re: HB and CT support and make sure they have the correct figures.

For instance, sometimes councils make an incorrect decision about bedroom allowance when your non dependent goes to university. You are allowed a bedroom for your son on the proviso that he will return within 52 weeks and intends to return to live with you.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/counciltaxhousingandbenefits/newunderoccupationrulesforhousingbenefit.htm

Yes I rang tax credits and cross checked their amounts with tose on my housing benefit award
I have or had three boys in a two bedroom house so bedroom tax was never an issue

restless6

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

Most Local Authorities should have details of the non deps deductions taken. For example:- http://www.merton.gov.uk/advice-benefits/benefits/hb-ctb/benefitsclaim/nondependant.htm

Aged 18 or more and not working or working less than 16 hours per week HB Deduction - £14.55 CTR deduction - £3.74

The non dep deduction taken from CTR may vary from Council to Council depending on their CTR rules.

This is a bizare rule where a non dep with no income results in a non dep deduction being taken. It is non appealable.

Yes that is what my council told me ! He has no income but I have to pay extra for him !

Also why is it that now my tax credits have reduced have my rent and council tax payments that I make been increased ? I can't understand why a drop in my income results in less benefit ??!!

tomtom256

restless6 wrote: »

Yes that is what my council told me ! He has no income but I have to pay extra for him !

Also why is it that now my tax credits have reduced have my rent and council tax payments that I make been increased ? I can't understand why a drop in my income results in less benefit ??!!

Because your applicable amounts have changed as you no longer have a child residing with you.

Topcat1982

Now your son has left home, there should no longer be a non dependent deduction.