Housing benefit
Local housing allowance
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is the maximum we can pay you if you live in a private rented home.
How much am I entitled to?
The amount of LHA depends on how many people live with you, not how many bedrooms you actually have. It's based on of the number of bedrooms that you're assessed as needing.
You're allowed one bedroom for:
- every adult couple (including civil partners)
- every adult aged 16 or over (including lodgers or boarders)
- any two children of the same sex under age 16
- any two children regardless of their sex under age 10
- any other child.
You may be allowed an extra room if you have:
- a severely disabled adult or child who needs their own room, but would be expected to share under the rules above
- a non-resident carer (if you, your partner, child or non-dependant are disabled and need overnight care)
- a foster child or children
- a child who is away on duty with the Armed Forces, but intends to return to live with you.
For example; in your home there is you, your partner and three children aged eight, nine and 16. Using this example, you would be entitled to the three bedroom LHA rate because; you and your partner would have one bedroom, two children aged under ten could share a bedroom and the oldest child would also have a bedroom.
Shared accommodation
If you live in shared accommodation the rate of LHA still applies even if you would otherwise be allowed the one bedroom rate under the bedroom allowance rules.
If you're under 35 years of age, are single with no children, you're also restricted to the shared accommodation rate even if you live in a self-contained property.
LHA bedroom allowance
The tables show the bedroom allowance based on your personal situation and property type.
| Person or household type | Property type | Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Couple (any age) | If your home counts as self-contained | 1 bedroom self-contained accommodation |
| Couple (any age) | If you or your partner are an excepted group | 1 bedroom self-contained accommodation |
| Couple (any age) | Other | 1 bedroom shared accommodation |
| Person or household type | Property type | Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Single claimants aged 35 or over | If your home counts as self-contained | 1 bedroom self-contained accommodation |
| Single claimants aged 35 or over | Other | 1 bedroom shared accommodation |
| Single claimants under 35 years | An excepted group | 1 bedroom self-contained accommodation |
| Single claimants under 35 years | Other | 1 bedroom shared accommodation |
There are some exceptions known as an 'excepted group', which are if:
- you or your partner meet the conditions for a severe disability premium
- you or your partner are under 22 years old and were either;
- previously in court ordered social services care at any time after the age of 16
- provided accommodation by social services
- you are between 25 and 35 years of age and are an ex-offender managed under a level 2 or level 3 multi-agency public protection agreement
- you are between 25 and 35 years of age and you have occupied (or at any time formerly occupied) a homeless hostel for one or more periods, totalling at least 3 months. While you where there, you were also offered and you accepted support with rehabilitation or resettlement within the community.
If you're finding it difficult to work out your LHA, you can use the rate calculator on the Government website.
LHA rates
The Local Housing Allowance rates from April 2024 are:
| Bedroom allowance | LHA rate |
|---|---|
| 1 bed/shared house |
|
| 1 bed self-contained |
|
| 2 bed |
|
| 3 bed |
|
| 4 bed |
|
| Bedroom allowance | LHA rate |
|---|---|
| 1 bed/shared house |
|
| 1 bed self-contained |
|
| 2 bed |
|
| 3 bed |
|
| 4 bed |
|
| Bedroom allowance | LHA rate |
|---|---|
| 1 bed/shared house |
|
| 1 bed self-contained |
|
| 2 bed |
|
| 3 bed |
|
| 4 bed |
|
| Bedroom allowance | LHA rate |
|---|---|
| 1 bed/shared house |
|
| 1 bed self-contained |
|
| 2 bed |
|
| 3 bed |
|
| 4 bed |
|
| Bedroom allowance | LHA rate |
|---|---|
| 1 bed/shared house |
|
| 1 bed self-contained |
|
| 2 bed |
|
| 3 bed |
|
| 4 bed |
|
How is LHA paid?
In most cases we will pay you directly, not the landlord. We usually pay in arrears every two weeks, directly to your bank account.
As rent is normally a monthly payment, you can work out how you much you'll get each month by multiplying your weekly award by 52 (weeks in a year) and divide it by 12 (months in a year). For example; your rent is £550 per month and your weekly award is £116, this would be calculated as 116 x 52 ÷ 12 = 502.66. This means you'll receive £502.66 each month and you'll be responsible for paying your landlord the remaining of £47.34.
If you are eight weeks or more in arrears we will pay your landlord directly until these arrears have reduced
We have a safeguarding policy (PDF,105KB) to ensure that the correct decision for who Housing Benefit should be paid to, where the customer is considered vulnerable.
