Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are used to calculate Housing Benefit for tenants renting from private landlords. These rates are based on private market rents, and are limited by legislation.
Current rates
The table below shows the LHA rates valid from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2025.
| Number of bedrooms | Weekly rate | Calendar monthly equivalent* |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room rate | £74.79 | £324.09 |
| 1 bedroom | £109.32 | £473.72 |
| 2 bedrooms | £149.59 | £648.22 |
| 3 bedrooms | £197.92 | £857.65 |
| 4 bedrooms | £287.67 | £1246.56 |
The table below shows the LHA rates valid from 1 April 2020 until 31 March 2024.
| Number of bedrooms | Weekly rate | Calendar monthly equivalent* |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room rate | £74.79 | £324.09 |
| 1 bedroom | £97.81 | £423.84 |
| 2 bedrooms | £136.93 | £593.35 |
| 3 bedrooms | £172.60 | £747.93 |
| 4 bedrooms | £230.14 | £997.27 |
*The monthly rate is worked out by multiplying the weekly rate by 4.3333.
The amount of Housing Benefit you can claim depends on your age and the number of people in your household, not on the number of rooms that are in your home. The 4 bedroom rate is the maximum you can claim even if you have more people in your household.
All claims are reviewed annually on 1 April each year when the new LHA rates are set.
If your rent has increased or decreased since the annual LHA review, your Housing Benefit award may be reviewed.
Direct payments
We can pay your Housing Benefit directly to your landlord if it will help you to get or keep your tenancy. We can only do this when rent has been set at, or reduced to an "affordable level". This is normally the LHA rate or below. Your landlord needs to confirm this before we can make payments directly to them.
Non-resident carers
We will adjust the size criteria to allow you to claim for an extra room if you or your partner need an overnight carer. This doesn't apply to other members of your household, including children.
Shared room rate
Your LHA will be reduced to the shared room rate if you are single and under 35.
You can claim the single room rate instead if you are under 35 and you:
- Are in receipt of the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance.
- Are in receipt of the standard or enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment.
- Have spent at least three months in a hostel for the rehabilitation or resettlement of homeless people.
- Are over 25 and you are an ex-offender who is being managed under active multi-agency management, within the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), to be rehabilitated back into the community