Local Housing Allowance: how to find the rates for your area in England and Wales

A guide published on GOV.UK explains where Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates come from and where to look them up. The page applies to England and Wales. According to its description, LHA rates are used to calculate Housing Benefit for people renting from private landlords.

Who sets the rates and on what basis

LHA rates are decided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It uses the list of rents prepared by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

The rates are based on the private market rents tenants pay in a Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). GOV.UK describes this as the area within which a person might reasonably be expected to live. The rents taken into account are for homes with the same number of bedrooms as yours, or the number your household needs.

VOA rent officers collect the data. They draw on letting agents, landlords, tenants and other sources. The VOA shares the data with the DWP once a year.

How to check your rate

You can find current rates on LHA-Direct, run by the VOA. You search by postcode or by local authority area.

The government also offers a bedroom calculator. It lets you check how many bedrooms you may be eligible for, depending on the number of people in your household.

What this means for you

If you rent from a private landlord in England or Wales and receive Housing Benefit, or are thinking of applying, the LHA rate for your area and number of bedrooms is a reference point when the benefit is calculated. You can check it yourself, free of charge, by postcode.

The page does not set out the rules on who is eligible for benefits, including requirements linked to residence or immigration status. Whether you can get Housing Benefit needs to be checked separately, in official benefits information or with your local council.