If you are a private tenant, your housing costs amount is worked out as follows:

Step 1: Your ‘core rent’ is worked out (see 13 below ).

Step 2: Your ‘cap rent’ is worked out (see 14 below ). Your core rent is compared with your cap rent and the lower amount taken.

Step 3: If you have non-dependants living in your home, any non-dependant deductions (see 10 above ) are subtracted from the result of Step 2. The result is your housing costs amount.
UC Regs, Sch 4 , para 22

If the non-dependant deductions are greater than the result of Step 2, the result is set at nil.
UC Regs, Sch 4 , para 14(3)

Example: Robbie and Anne are a couple renting a 2-bedroom private flat. Their 23-year-old son lives with them. They pay £1,330 rent a month. There is no service charge. A rent officer has determined that their cap rent is £1,180 a month (based on the ‘local housing allowance’ in their area for 2-bedroom accommodation – see 14 below ).

Step 1: Robbie and A