Local Housing Allowance

What is it?

Local Housing Allowance Is money paid to people on a low income who rent their home from a private landlord to help them pay their rent.

How much will i get?

The full amount of LHA you can get is initially based on the number of people who live with you as part of your household. There are set maximum amounts for different sized accommodation. It is not therefore based on the actual rent you are being charged.

The number of bedrooms you need is based on the number, age and gender of people you have living with you. With effect from 01/04/2011 no more than 4 bedrooms can be counted when we assess your claim.

You are allowed one bedroom each for:

• A couple;
• Any other adult (age 16 or over);
• Any two children under the age of 10;
• Any two children of the same sex under the age of 16; and
• Any other child under the age of 16.
• Non resident carer or team of carers for overnight stays from 1st April 2011

The actual amount of help you get can be reduced if:

• The amount of money you have coming in is above a certain level
• You have other adults apart from your partner living in the household

LHA does not apply to people;

• Who rent their home from the council;
• Who rent their home from a registered social landlord or housing association;
• Whose tenancy started before 1989 or who have a registered fair rent;
• Who live in supported accommodation; or
• Who live in hostels, caravans and houseboats.

It may also not apply if your rent includes an amount for meals.

Links and attachments

There are a number of leaflets that explain the Local Housing Allowance in further detail.

• LHA Information for Claimants;
• Application for LHA Payment Direct to Your Landlord;
• Application for LHA Payment Direct to Your Landlord – Guidance notes;
• LHA Rates - February 2012;
• LHA Rates - Jan 2009 - February 2012;

Payment direct to your landlord

From 1st April 2011 payments can be made direct your landlord where they have reduced the level of your rent in order for you to retain or to secure your tenancy.

There are circumstances where we must pay the landlord the Local Housing Allowance and these are:

• Where we have evidence that a claimant is 8 full weeks or more in arrears with their rent; or
• The claimant is having deductions made from their Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance to pay for rent arrears.

We can also make a decision to pay the Local Housing Allowance to the landlord on behalf of the claimant where we consider the claimant is unlikely or unable to pay their rent. This could be because they are vulnerable or have severe financial difficulties, for example:

• A claimant has rent arrears and has consistently failed to pay their rent;
• A claimant has previously absconded from a property leaving rent arrears;
• Claimants who are unable to open a bank or building society account;
• Claimants with severe debt problems;
• Claimants who are bankrupt.
  

By vulnerable we mean someone who may have difficulty managing his or her money because of a particular reason. This may include:

• People with medical conditions;
• People with learning difficulties;
• People with physical disabilities;
• People who are mentally ill;
• Illiteracy or an inability to speak, read or write English;
• A person with alcohol/substance/gambling addiction;
• A person receiving assistance from a homeless charity;
• A person who is housebound or lives alone with no support.
  

The above list is not exhaustive and there may be other reasons why the claimant may be considered vulnerable. However, the vulnerability must lead to an inability to manage their own affairs. Many people in the categories described above, whilst vulnerable will be both perfectly willing and able to manage their rent.

Changes to Shared accommodation rates

From 1 January 2012 most single claimants aged under 35, living in private rented accommodation are only entitled to what is called the shared accommodation rate.

This mean the maximum LHA that can be paid to people is the level for a single room with all other facilities shared irrespective of the size of the accommodation they are renting.

Some people aged between 25 and 35 who were already claiming will not be affected immediately until their claim is due for renewal. If you are in this position we will write to you when your amount of benefit is due to change.

The following groups are also not affected by this rule:

• Claimants over 25 but under 35 who have spent at least three months in a specialist hostel or hostels for homeless people, where the main purpose of that hostel is to provide supervision, care and support with a view to assisting people to be rehabilitated or resettled in the community
• Claimants over 25 but under 35 whose housing has been arranged under active multi-agency management under active Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), to be settled back into the community
• Severely disabled people receiving the middle or highest care component for Disability Living Allowance
• Single claimants under 22 who have left care

Worried about losing your tenancy?

There is a legal procedure that has to be followed if you are being served with a notice to quit or being told that your tenancy is being ended. For more information and assistance you can call the private Tenancy Unit on 0121 303 5070.

If your rent has changed recently or if any other circumstances have changed that you have not told us about, please get in touch with us immediately by calling 0121 464 7000.

In all cases written evidence will be required and will depend on the claimant’s circumstances.

People who can give evidence include:

• Family and friends of the claimant;
• The landlord;
• Welfare groups;
• Care workers;
• Money and Debt Advisors;
• Social Services;
• GP;
• Probation Officer;
• Jobcentre Plus;
• The Pension Service;
• Support workers;
• Community nurses;
• Hospital staff; or
• Court staff.
  
  

This list is not exhaustive and we will require signed, written permission from the claimant to contact third parties on their behalf.