Response - Local Housing Allowance and larger properties

These changes are intended to support a level of LHA that provides a fair deal to both customers and to the taxpayer by ensuring that excessively high rates of benefit cease for new claims and gradually phase out for existing claims. However, this is not an issue that arose when LHA was in its pilot phase or under the old local reference rent (LRR) system. We therefore feel that alternative solutions need to be implemented before resorting to a national cap on rates for properties over five bedrooms.