Local Housing Allowance
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are used to calculate Housing Benefit for tenants renting from private landlords.
The actual amount of Housing Benefit you receive will depend upon your income, savings and household circumstances.
We will not use the LHA rate to work out your Housing Benefit if you:
- rent from a housing association or registered charity
- live in a mobile home, caravan, or houseboat
- live in a hostel
- are a boarder
- rent from a private landlord and your tenancy began before 1989
- have a shared ownership property
- live in exempt / supported accommodation where care, support or supervision is provided
How LHA is calculated
Your LHA rate is worked out using the number of bedrooms your household is eligible for and the area in which you live.
Number of bedrooms
Use the bedroom calculator on GOV.UK to work out how many bedrooms your household is eligible for.
The maximum number of bedrooms which can be considered are 4.
If you are single and under 35, the shared accommodation rate will apply to you.
One bedroom is allowed for each of the following:
- person or couple over 16
- two children under 16 of the same sex
- two children under 10 regardless of sex
- any other child
Area rates
Check on GOV.UK the LHA rates for you based on the area you live in.
You can view the different rates in South Gloucestershire.