What is Local Housing Allowance?
What is Local Housing Allowance (LHA)?
Local Housing Allowance is how much money people on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit may get to spend on renting a home.
Local Housing Allowance is sometimes called LHA.
You don't get LHA if you
rent
Rent is the money that you pay to live in your home when you have a tenancy agreement. Your home belongs to a landlord, but you have a right to live there as long as you follow the rules that are in your tenancy agreement.
from the
council
A council is also called a local authority. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
, a housing association or live in a
care home
A care home is a place where people who need support live. There are staff there all the time.
, or
supported living
Supported living is when you live in your own home with support from staff. People who live in supported living have a tenancy agreement.
, because they decide what your rent is.
For more information visit our Different benefits Easy Read Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing. .
You may get Local Housing Allowance if you rent from a
landlord
A landlord is the owner of a property which they rent out to tenants. They can be a council, a housing association, or an individual person.
.
How much Local Housing Allowance you may get is based on where you live in the UK.
Local Housing Allowance depends on the number of rooms in your home.
How many rooms you can claim for is based on you, and who lives with you.
People of any age who live alone and claim disability benefits may get at least the 'one bedroom rate'.
Most people under 35 who are not disabled get the 'shared accommodation' rate.
If you know the Local Housing Allowance you can work out how much you may be able to pay in rent if you want to move home.
If you need overnight care, you will usually get an extra bedroom for a carer.
If you live somewhere with more rooms than you can claim for, you do not get more Local Housing Allowance.
How can I find out how much LHA I can get?
- Find out how many bedrooms you can get by visiting the Directgov website.
2. Use the calculator on the Directgov website to work out how much your LHA is.
If you are moving house you will need to use the postcode of where you are moving to, not where you live now.
It can be confusing to work out what Local Housing Allowance you can get.
Where can I find out more about LHA?
If you need help working out what Local Housing Allowance you could get:
- contact your local council.
- contact the Learning Disability Helpline.
This Easy Read was first published 25/03/2025.
Last updated: 25/03/2025.