Local housing allowance
Local Housing Allowance is used to work out housing benefit and costs for private tenants.
Local housing allowance rates
| Type of accommodation | Apr 19 to Mar 20 | Apr 20 to Mar 21 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 room (with 1 shared room) | 62.69 | 76.99 |
| 1 bedroom | 80.55 | 80.55 |
| 2 bedrooms | 97.81 | 97.81 |
| 3 bedrooms | 115.07 | 115.07 |
| 4 bedrooms | 158.90 | 159.95 |
| 5 bedrooms | N/A | N/A |
Appeals
You can't appeal against the rates as this is set for the whole area.
How LHA is calculated
LHA is the maximum housing benefit you can get for your circumstances.
How much LHA you get depends on the area you live and how many rooms you need. It also takes into account your income.
If the amount of LHA you get is less than your total rent, you'll need to pay the difference yourself.
Application for direct payment to landlord
The Benefits Service has to make all payments of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) directly to you, but we can make payments directly to your landlord where you have difficulty managing your affairs.
Download the application form (Word doc) [252KB]
If you have to pay to obtain evidence in support of your application please contact us first.