What is Local Housing Allowance?

• This months LHA rates

Local Housing Allowance is a new scheme that started in April 2008. It is still means tested and based on the needs of your household, the same as the previous Housing Benefit scheme. The only differences are in the way the maximum Housing Benefit is set and the fact that all payments are made directly to the tenant.

Who is affected by Local Housing Allowance?

Local Housing Allowance applies to tenants who live in properties rented from private landlords, and have claimed Housing Benefit on or after April 2008.

It will not apply to you if:

• you rent your home from the Council
• you rent your home from a housing association, registered charity or voluntary organisation
• your tenancy started before 1989
• you live in a caravan, mobile home, houseboat or hostel
• you claim benefit for help with mooring fees
• the Rent Officer decides that a large amount of your rent is paid for board.

Existing customers: If you already get Housing Benefit, Local Housing Allowance will not apply to you, until you change address (including a change of room within a property) or have a break in your claim.

What are the benefits of Local Housing Allowance?

Under Local Housing Allowance, benefit is based on the size of accommodation that you need and rates are set on a monthly basis. This means you are aware of the maximum Housing Benefit you would be entitled to when you consider taking on a tenancy and there is no longer a need to complete pre tenancy determinations.

Local Housing Allowance makes sure that people with the same circumstances, living in the same area, will receive the same amount of benefit.

How much Local Housing Allowance will I get?

So that you can choose accommodation, knowing how much rent we will use to work out your benefit, the Rent Service sets monthly rates, which are published in the Council Offices and on this website.

• Local Housing Allowance Rates

Under Local Housing Allowance, customers who choose properties where the rent is less than the published LHA rates will be able to keep the difference between the two, up to a maximum of £15 per week.

How is Local Housing Allowance paid?

Local Housing Allowance is paid direct to the tenant, not to their landlord. So it will be the tenant’s responsibility to pay their rent to their landlord.

Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance is paid directly into your bank account by BACS. (For more information on BACS.)

Housing Benefit payments cannot be paid into a Post Office card account like some other benefits, so you will need to open an account with a bank or building society if you haven’t already got one. (For more information about basic bank accounts. PDF)

In some cases, we may be able to pay your landlord direct if, for example your claim would be safeguarded if you would not be able to manage your finances on your own. If you are more than eight weeks in arrears with your rent, we will pay your benefit direct to your landlord until the arrears are cleared.

Find out about

• What LHA rate would I be entitled to?

• How do I claim?

E-mail: Benefits@thanet.gov.uk

Tel: 01843 577552

from 9am to 5.30pm.

or Visit our offices