Local housing allowance (LHA) for private renters
Local housing allowance (LHA) rates are used to work out how much universal credit or housing benefit you get if you rent from a private landlord.
How to check your local housing allowance rate
You can check your LHA rate on GOV.UK if you know:
your postcode or council area
how many bedrooms you can claim for
The GOV.UK tool gives you the weekly LHA rate. You can convert this to a calendar monthly figure if you multiply it by 52 and divide the result by 12.
How many bedrooms you can claim for
There are 5 local housing allowance (LHA) rates:
shared accommodation rate
1 bed rate
2 bed rate
3 bed rate
4 bed rate
Your LHA rate is based on the number of bedrooms you can claim for under the rules.
Shared accommodation rate
You usually only get the shared accommodation rate if:
you're a single person under 35
children don't live with you
This applies even if you don't share your home with others but there are exceptions.
If you're a single person aged 35 or over, living in a shared house without dependent children you qualify for the:
1 bed rate if you get universal credit
shared accommodation rate if you get housing benefit
Will local housing allowance cover your rent?
Local housing allowance won't always cover your full rent.
The LHA rate that applies to your household is a starting figure for calculating the help you get with rent.
Your full rent could be covered if it's the same or less than your LHA rate.
But even then you won't usually get the full amount in the following situations:
you're working
the benefit cap applies
other adults live with you and are expected to contribute
If you're working
Your benefit usually goes down if you're working because your overall income increases. You'll have to pay more of your rent from your wages.
Universal credit claimants can earn £287 a month before your benefit is reduced if either:
you have dependent children
you're not expected to seek work because of disability or ill health
In most other cases, for every £1 of income you earn above the benefit you'd get if you weren't working, you usually lose:
63p of universal credit
65p of housing benefit
If you're affected by the benefit cap
The benefit cap is an overall limit on the amount of benefits that many working age people can get.
If it applies to you, your housing benefit or universal credit is reduced so the money you get from benefits doesn't go above the cap level.
Deductions for adults who live with you
Deductions are made for some adults who live in your home and are expected to contribute to the rent.
The amount taken from your benefit is different depending on whether you claim:
If your benefit won't cover your rent
You can apply for a discretionary housing payment (DHP) from your council. A DHP is an extra payment to help if you're struggling to pay rent.
Apply for a DHP from your council
You should also make sure that you and any household members are claiming everything you're entitled to:
If you think a benefit decision is wrong
You can ask for a review if you think your benefit has been calculated wrongly.
First, you should check how many bedrooms you can claim for.
Find out how to ask for a review of a:
When different rules apply
You housing benefit is calculated in a different way if you:
live in a mobile home or houseboat
have a regulated or protected tenancy
live in a hostel, refuge or some types of supported housing
have claimed housing benefit in your current home since before April 2008
Still need help?
Last updated: 31 March 2020