Local Housing Allowance will not affect you if:

   - You live in a council or housing association property
   - You have a tenancy which started before 1989
   - You live in a caravan, hostel or houseboat
   - You live in board and lodgings where the rent includes a substantial amount for board and attendance

What is Local Housing Allowance?
Will LHA affect me?
How much LHA can I get?
How many bedrooms do I need?
I am single and under 25, what am I entitled to?
Does the area I live in affect how much LHA I can get?
How is LHA paid?
What if I cannot manage to pay the rent myself?
What if the rent is higher or lower than the LHA?

What is Local Housing Allowance?

LHA is a new way of calculating housing benefit. It is for people on low income who rent from private landlords. This scheme has been designed to be fairer and clearer for tenants and aims to encourage tenants to take on more financial responsibility.

LHA is based on the number of bedrooms you need and not how much the rent is. The actual amount of LHA payable depends on your financial and personal circumstances in the same way as housing benefit.

Will LHA affect me?

LHA will affect anyone living in private accommodation who makes a new claim for housing benefit on or after 7^th April 2008. Existing claimants will not be affected by LHA unless they change address or have a break in their claim on or after the 7^th April 2008.

How much LHA can I get?

How much LHA you get depends on:

   - Who lives with you and the number of bedrooms you need
   - Which area you live or want to live in
   - How much money you have coming in
   - What savings you have

How many bedrooms do I need?

LHA is a flat rate allowance and the number of people who live with you will be used to work out how many bedrooms you need.

One bedroom is allowed for:

   - Every adult couple
   - Any other adult aged 16 or over
   - Any two children regardless of sex under age 10
   - Any two children of the same sex under age 16
   - Any other child

Single Persons aged under 25 years of age

The rate of LHA for a single person under the age of 25 will be based on a room in shared accommodation such as a bedsit or a room in a property where kitchen and bathroom facilities are shared with other tenants.

The area you live in

The local authorities borough will be divided into areas known as Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMA) by an independent Rent Officer. You will be able to use your postcode to work out which area you live in or are about to move into. The LHA will be paid at the same amount wherever you live in an area and will not be based on the individual rents.

This means tenants with the same circumstances will be entitled to the same amount of LHA.

How is LHA paid?

You will usually get any LHA paid directly to you and you will be responsible for paying your landlord. Knowing the amount of LHA you will be entitled to will help you work out what rent you can afford when you are looking for somewhere to live. You cannot choose to have your LHA paid to your landlord. The easiest way is to pay your LHA direct into your bank or building society account. You can then arrange for your bank or building society to pay your rent to your landlord. If you do not have a bank or building society account, you may want to open one now. For more information about bank accounts and financial advice visit: www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk

What if I cannot manage to pay the rent myself?

Some tenants may struggle with the responsibility of paying their rent to their landlords. Safeguards have been put in place to make direct payments to landlords in certain circumstances where the tenant is vulnerable. Examples of where LHA can or will be paid direct to the landlord include:

   - If we consider the tenant is likely to have difficulty managing their own affairs
   - If we consider the tenant is unlikely to pay their rent to their landlord
   - If the tenant has built up arrears of 8 weeks or more
   - If the tenant is having deductions from their Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance to pay off rent arrears

 Payment to Landlord Request Form - For tenant completion (45kb)

Further information:  Local Housing Allowance Vulnerability & Safeguarding Procedure (46kb)

What if I find somewhere to live and the rent is:

   The same as the LHA

If the rent is the same as the LHA amount, you will usually get the LHA paid direct to yourself and you will need to pay this amount on to your landlord.

   Lower than the LHA

Some properties may have a rent lower than the amount of LHA you can get. If the rent is no more than £15.00 per week less than the LHA rate, you get to keep the difference. If the rent is more than £15.00 per week less than the LHA rate, you can keep a maximum of £15.00. This will not affect any other social security benefits you may get.

   Higher that the LHA

You may find a property where the rent is higher than the LHA rate you are entitled too. You will have to pay the difference from your other income. In exceptional circumstances, you may be able to apply for a Discretionary Hardship Payment to help pay this difference.

You can get further information about LHA from:

www.dwp.gov.uk/housingbenefit/lha

or by contacting us by:

Tel: 01493 846291
Email: lha@great-yarmouth.gov.uk

In Person: Trafalgar House, Hall Plain, Great Yarmouth