If you are a tenant of a private landlord who is still getting Housing Benefit from the Council to help with rent, you are probably getting it under Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rules.
The amount of Housing Benefit you get is based on LHA rates which are set by the government.
To find the LHA rate for your home you first need to know how many bedrooms the rules say you need and which LHA area your property is in.
Personal circumstances like your income and who lives with you also affect how much help you get.
Pre-LHA rules
Housing Benefit, from the Council, is still assessed under the ‘old’ pre-LHA rules if:
- you have been at the same address and claiming without a break since before April 2008
- you have a private landlord and your tenancy started before January 1989
- you are a social housing tenant
- your landlord is a charity or voluntary organisation providing you with care and support
- you live in board and lodgings
- you live in a caravan, houseboat, mobile home or hostel.
If you get Universal Credit (UC)
You probably get help with your rent included in your UC. But there are some people who get UC, who still need to get help with rent from Housing Benefit instead.