Collection

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates

Tables showing the method used to produce the Local Housing Allowance rates in accordance with statute.

• From: Valuation Office Agency
• Published: 22 April 2020
• Last updated: 31 January 2024 — See all updates

Details

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) use Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates to calculate Housing Benefit for tenants renting from private landlords. LHA rates relate to an area in which a claim is made - these areas are called Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMA). A BRMA is where a person could reasonably be expected to live taking into account access to certain facilities and services.

How Local Housing Allowance rates are calculated

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) Rent Officers collect rental information from letting agents, landlords, tenants and other sources. LHA rates are based on private market rents being paid in the BRMA which can differ from advertised rents.

These data do not include all rents that might exist in each BRMA. In accordance with DWP legislation, Rent Officers are tasked with collecting a sufficient sample from the 12 month period ending 30 September prior to DWP publishing LHA rates on 1 April. These published data are the rents collected and comprises both new and renewal rents in payment, as negotiated between landlord and tenant. These rents do not include any value attributed to services which are ineligible for housing benefit (effectively net rents). Housing benefit supported rents are also removed where possible.

The LHA comprises a set of rates for a number of categories - Categories A to E which are:

a) ‘Shared Accommodation’:

Exclusive use of one bedroom and sharing the use of one or more of a:

• kitchen
• bathroom
• toilet
• room suitable for living in

b) 1 bedroom dwellings: those with one bedroom and exclusive use of a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet and a room suitable for living in

c) 2 bedroom dwellings

d) 3 bedroom dwellings

e) 4 bedroom dwellings

The Rent Officer maintains lists of rental information for each category of LHA rates.

In accordance with DWP legislation, mathematical calculations are applied to the list of rents to determine the LHA rate.

You can find the LHA rates on LHA-Direct by searching by postcode or local authority area. BRMA maps and graphs are included in the search results.

Documents

• Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates applicable from April 2024 to March 2025
  • 2 September 2024
  • Guidance
• Valuation Office Agency Rent Officers: LHA Historical Rates
  • 11 October 2023
  • Guidance

Published 22 April 2020
Last updated 31 January 2024 + show all updates

1. 31 January 2024

   We have added the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates applicable from April 2024 to March 2025

2. 13 November 2023

   The document collection has been updated.

3. 17 August 2023

   The content has been updated.

4. 14 August 2023

   The content has been updated.

5. 31 January 2023

   2023 - 2024 LHA rates added.

6. 31 January 2022

   Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates applicable from April 2022 to March 2023 has been added to the collection.

7. 29 January 2021

   'Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates applicable from April 2021 to March 2022' has been added to this collection.

8. 22 April 2020

   First published.