Local Housing Allowance (LHA)

What is Local Housing Allowance (LHA)?

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is Housing Benefit for people living in private rented property.

How is it worked out?

Local Housing Allowance entitlement is worked out based on the number of bedrooms you need as well as your income.

How is bedroom entitlement calculated?

You are entitled to one bedroom for each of the following:

• two people living as a couple
• single adult aged 16 or over
• two children under 10 years (regardless of their sex)
• two children of the same sex under 16 years
• any other child.

Shared Accommodation LHA Rate

Claimants living in shared accommodation will have their benefit based on a Shared Accommodation rate of Local Housing Allowance (LHA). By shared accommodation we mean you have a bedroom of your own but share some or all of the other rooms, for example a kitchen or bathroom.

LHA for under 35's

If you are single and under 35 years of age, you will only be entitled to the LHA rate for shared accommodation unless you:

• receive Disability Living Allowance Care (middle or high rate) or Personal Independence Payment Daily Living (any rate) and no-one is being paid Carers Allowance for looking after you.
• have one or more dependants or non-dependants living with you.
• have spent 3 months or more in a homeless hostel which provided rehabilitation and resettlement.
• require overnight care from someone who does not reside with you.
• share facilities with another tenant but have exclusive use of more than one room

Find your LHA Rate

Check your Local Housing Allowance rate and use this to get an estimate of how much benefit you may be entitled to by using our Housing and Council Tax Benefit Reduction calculator.