Local housing allowance

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was introduced nationally and changed the way housing benefit is calculated for private tenants. It is applied to the calculation of housing benefit based on the size of the tenant’s property and the area they live in. The amount of LHA paid may be lower than your actual rent as it is not directly related to the rent charged. The rate of LHA that is being received will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Annual review

LHA rates are reviewed annually rather than monthly and the claim is updated in April each year by either the lower of the previous September's consumer price index (CPI) or the previous September's 30^th percentile figure.

The LHA rate may change mid-year if there is a change of circumstances that affects the size allowance, for example if someone moves in or leaves the household. You must tell the council if your circumstances change. Additionally from April 2013, we will be able to review LHA cases where there has been a change in rent since the last annual review.

Local Housing Allowance rates 2024

Following a four-year freeze on the rates of local housing allowance, from April 2024 LHA rates have been raised to the 30^th percentile of local market rents.

Who it affects

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) only affects privately rented accommodation. Rather than referring your rent to the rent officer, benefit will be based on the number of rooms required.

LHA does not affect the following tenants:

• Housing Association tenants
• protected cases, for example supported housing provided by certain local authorities, social landlords, charities and voluntary organisations
• tenancies which commenced prior to January 1989
• caravans, houseboats and hostels
• tenancies where part of the rent is attributable to board and attendance

Benefit payments

Payments of LHA will be paid direct to tenants by BACs and will no longer be payable to the landlord except in cases where the council feels that the tenant is vulnerable. If we make the decision to pay the landlord, it will be reviewed on a regular basis to confirm that it is still appropriate to pay the landlord.

If you are the landlord , to enable us to pay you by this method you need a bank account that accepts BACs payments. Please complete the landlord BACs online form.

How many rooms are allowed

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is based on the number of rooms in a property and the area that you live in. Below is a guide to how many rooms you will be allowed.

You will be allowed one bedroom for each of the following:

• every adult couple
• any other person aged 16 or over
• any two children of the same sex up to the age of 16
• any two children regardless of sex under age 10
• any other child
• a room for an overnight carer required by the claimant or partner (subject to criteria being met)
• a severely disabled child who cannot share a room with another child

In addition:

• a room will be allowed for a foster child or children living with an approved foster carer
• parents of armed forces personnel who are away from home on operations will continue to have them included when applying the size criteria

From April 2011 the maximum amount you can get is the rate for a four bedroom property. If you rent a larger home you will only get LHA up to the maximum level for four bedrooms and it is likely that the LHA won't cover all of your rent.

From April 2017 the size criteria rules also include:

• a non-resident overnight carer (in respect of a disabled child or disabled non-dependant adult)
• a member of a couple who cannot share because of a disability

The number of living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms is ignored as it is assumed that all tenants are entitled to these.

If you are single with no dependant children and are aged under 35 you will only be entitled to the shared room rate even if you occupy something larger. The shared rate will be based on properties where the tenant has exclusive use of one bedroom and the tenancy provides for him to share the use of one or more of the following:

• a kitchen
• a bathroom
• a toilet, or
• a room suitable for living in

The above rules will not apply to single tenants who have the Severe Disability Premium in their benefit assessments. They will be entitled to one bedroom rate of LHA regardless of the size of their property. Care leavers under 22 years old (25 from 31 May 2021) will also receive the rate of LHA for a one bedroom property.

In addition, single tenants between the age of 25 and 35 who have spent three months or more in a specialist hostel whose main aim is to provide accommodation, care support or supervision with the aim of resettling or rehabilitating in the community, or ex-offenders who are currently subject to an active MAPPA arrangement, will not be subject to the restrictions. (From 31 May 2021, the lower age limit of 25 is reduced to include anyone between the age of 16 and 35).

From 1 October 2022 there are two additional exemptions from the shared room rate:

• victims of domestic abuse
• victims of modern slavery

Find out what rate apply to you

For more details about local housing allowance, to calculate your bedroom allowance, or to find out what rate is applicable for you, please visit the Valuation Office Agency website