Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rate Calculator
LHA rates are set by Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). From April 2024, rates were re-frozen at 30th percentile of local rents.
Look up your rate: lha-direct.voa.gov.uk
How Local Housing Allowance Works
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is not a separate benefit you apply for. It is the method used to calculate the maximum amount of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element you can receive if you rent from a private landlord. Your actual payment depends on three things: your LHA rate (set by area and bedroom entitlement), your income and circumstances, and your actual rent.
LHA rates are set at the 30th percentile of local private rents in each Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). This means three out of ten properties in your area should be available at or below the LHA rate. If your actual rent is higher than the LHA rate, you must cover the shortfall yourself or apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from your council.
What Is a BRMA and How to Find Yours
A Broad Rental Market Area is a geographic area within which a person could reasonably be expected to live and find suitable accommodation. BRMAs do not follow council boundaries — one BRMA may cover several councils, or one council may contain parts of two or more BRMAs. This means neighbours with different postcodes can have different LHA rates.
To find your BRMA and current LHA rate, enter your postcode at the official VOA tool: lha-direct.voa.gov.uk. Select your bedroom entitlement to see the weekly and monthly rate that applies to your area.
Bedroom Entitlement: How Many Rooms Can You Claim For?
Your LHA rate is based on the number of bedrooms your household needs, not the number of rooms in your actual property. The DWP rules allow:
| Household member | Bedroom entitlement |
|---|---|
| Adult couple (including civil partners) | 1 bedroom |
| Any other adult aged 16 or over | 1 bedroom |
| Two children of the same sex, both under 16 | 1 bedroom (shared) |
| Two children of any sex, both under 10 | 1 bedroom (shared) |
| Any other child | 1 bedroom |
| Severely disabled person needing own room | 1 additional bedroom |
| Non-resident overnight carer | 1 additional bedroom |
Maximum entitlement is four bedrooms, even if your household needs more. Use the official VOA bedroom calculator to check your exact entitlement.
Shared Accommodation Rate: Under-35 Rule
If you are a single person under 35 with no dependants, you are normally restricted to the shared accommodation rate — the LHA rate for a single room in a shared house. This applies even if you live in a self-contained flat. Exemptions exist for care leavers under 25, people who need overnight care, and those who have lived in a hostel for three months or more with support.
LHA Rates: Current Freeze
LHA rates were unfrozen and reset to the 30th percentile of local rents in April 2024 after being frozen since 2020. However, rates were then frozen again and the April 2026 rates remain at the same level as April 2024. This means the rates do not reflect any rent increases since early 2024. If rents in your area have risen since then, the gap between your LHA rate and your actual rent may have widened. Check the current rates for your BRMA at lha-direct.voa.gov.uk.
Housing Benefit vs Universal Credit Housing Element
If you are of working age and making a new claim, you will normally claim the housing element of Universal Credit rather than Housing Benefit. Housing Benefit for private renters is now mainly available to pension-age claimants and some people in exempt temporary accommodation. Both use LHA rates the same way — the difference is which benefit system administers the payment. You can check which applies to you at gov.uk/housing-benefit.
Sources: Housing Benefit: What you'll get (gov.uk), Local Housing Allowance guidance (gov.uk), LHA Direct — Valuation Office Agency. Last verified: August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
LHA determines the maximum Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element you can receive if you rent privately. It is set at the 30th percentile of local rents in your Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA).
LHA is the cap applied to Housing Benefit for private renters. Social housing rents have a different calculation. LHA rates are set nationally by the Valuation Office Agency.
Use the VOA's LHA Direct tool at lha-direct.voa.gov.uk. Enter your postcode and property size to find the weekly LHA rate for your Broad Rental Market Area.
After being frozen since 2020, LHA rates were increased to the 30th percentile of current rents in April 2024. However, rates were then frozen again from 2025.
If you're of working age, you generally claim the housing element of Universal Credit (not Housing Benefit). Housing Benefit is mainly for pensioners and some exempt groups.
Single adults under 35 (with no dependants) are only entitled to the shared accommodation rate, regardless of whether they live in shared or self-contained accommodation. Exceptions apply for some vulnerable groups.
If your rent exceeds your LHA cap, you can apply for a DHP from your local council. DHPs are limited funds — they're not guaranteed and are typically awarded for a set period.
The bedroom tax (under-occupancy charge) applies to social housing, not private renters. Private renters are limited by LHA room rate entitlement based on household size.
BRMAs are geographic areas used by DWP/VOA to set LHA rates. They broadly reflect local rental markets. The same postcode can be in different BRMAs depending on where the rental market is centred.
If your rent is lower than the LHA cap, Housing Benefit is capped at your actual rent. You cannot receive more HB than your actual rent (the excess rule).
LHA is set by the area and room size entitlement — it doesn't increase just because you choose more expensive housing. You'd need to cover any excess above the LHA rate yourself.
LHA entitlement is based on the number of bedrooms needed by the household, with a maximum of 4 bedrooms. Larger families with more children would still be capped at the 4-bedroom rate.
Official Sources & References
- GOV.UK — Housing Benefit: What you'll get
- GOV.UK — Local Housing Allowance guidance
- LHA Direct — VOA rate finder
- GOV.UK — LHA rates April 2026 to March 2027
Data verified against official UK government sources. Last checked August 2026.