From 7th April 2008 the Government is introducing a new scheme called Local Housing Allowance (LHA). This is a new way of deciding rent payments for people receiving Housing Benefit. It does not replace Housing Benefit. It uses a flat rate allowance based on the size of the tenant's household and the area in which they rent property to decide the maximum amount of benefit they will receive. This amount is not directly related to the rent that the tenant is charged, so the benefit received may be higher or lower than the contractual rent. The rate of LHA that a customer may receive will be reviewed on an annual basis.

What are the current Local Housing Allowance levels?

You can find out the LHA levels for the current month by viewing the Local Housing Allowance Rates page.

Will Local Housing Allowance apply to me?

Not all tenancies will fall under the Local Housing Allowance umbrella. If you fall under the following categories your tenancy will be exempt from Local Housing Allowance:

• Local Authority tenancies
• Housing Association tenancies
• Supported accommodation provided by local authorities, social landlords, charities or voluntary organisations such as YMCA.

If you reside in one of these properties, enter your weekly, fortnightly or monthly rent on the On-line calculator link below.

Other tenancies which are exempt from Local Housing Allowance are:

• Tenancies in caravans, houseboats, mobile homes and hostels.
• Tenancies with substantial board and attendance.

These tenancies will require a Rent Officer's determination and your level of eligible rent will be assessed based on their decision.

If you reside in one of these properties, enter your weekly, fortnightly or monthly rent on the On-line calculator link below.

Under 25's

There are separate rules for single people under the age of 25 who rent accommodation from a private landlord which are detailed here.

On-Line Calculator