Local Housing Allowance bedroom rates

For a more detailed guide, visit our Local Housing Allowance  page.

How does Local housing allowance (LHA) affect you?

If you rent from us, a housing association or have a shared ownership home, different rules are used to calculate your housing benefit.

From 1st April 2012 the Rent Officer will set annual LHA rates. Prior to this the levels were set each month for accommodation ranging from a shared-room rate up to and including a 4 bedroom rate in each rental area.

Housing Benefit only pays for a maximum 4 bedrooms, even if the size of your family exceeds this. The LHA rate that applies, is normally the month we receive your form. 

However, if your benefit is backdated or the start date of your benefit falls in a different month, that months LHA rate will apply. 
From 1st April 2012 the effect of this will be eliminated as the rates are set for the whole year.

Current Local Housing Allowance rates

LHA rate for 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019

The following tenants are NOT affected by the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) bedroom rates scheme

• Registered social landlord tenancies e.g., Council or Housing Associations 
• protected cases, such as tenancies provided by a charity or voluntary body who also provide support services
• tenancies which are excluded from the existing rent restrictions, such as pre 1989 tenancies 
• tenancies of caravans, houseboats, mobile homes and hostels 
• board and lodge accommodation where The Rent Service (TRS) has decided that a substantial part of the rent is attributable to board and attendance.

NB: This is NOT a full list of all the tenancy types that are exempt from the new LHA scheme.