If you are living with a spouse / civil partner / partner's child and they reside with you permanently, or for the majority of the time, and you are responsible for contributing to the overall costs of the household you may be qualify as independent through care of a dependent child.
To prove this you may be asked to provide:
- bank statements showing that you are contributing to rent / utility bills
- Working Tax Credit letter showing that they have been included in any application made for working tax credit
Each case is assessed on your individual circumstances. In most cases this arrangement should ideally be long-term and not just have taken place immediately before the start of your course.