SLHA - Change of Housing Benefit, private tenants

Fran

Another change, this time to Housing Benefit that is currently paid to private tenants. It seems this will eventually cover all applications for Housing Benefit which has been renamed Standard Local Housing Allowance (SLHA). Not a very memorable name!

More info at Disability Alliance Website

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This one has been around for some time. It was originally called "Standard Local Housing Allowance", but it is now more commonly known as "Local Housing Allowance" - the word "Standard" has been dropped.

LHA rates for a particular area are published on the relevant local authority's web site. They are updated once a month. They're planning to roll it out over the whole of England and Wales in 2008.

For many current and prospective private tenants, it will be good news. It removes the anxiety of moving house, and not knowing whether or not housing benefit will cover the rent at the new address.

In the past, the government used to pretend that "Pre-Tenancy Determinations" were a good idea. But in practice, landlords won't let to a prospective tenant who asks for a pre-tenancy determination, for understandable reasons - even if they pass a credit check. A tenant who seems to be dependent on the current draconian housing benefit system is simply too risky.

The government is hoping that LHA will make it easier for unemployed people to move where the jobs are. They've finally woken up to the fact that a significant part of London's NHS workforce is dependent on housing benefit. Benefit uncertainty is causing people to stay out of London, and many NHS vacancies are remaining unfilled as a result.

Low-paid working people, and healthy unemployed people, are likely to be better off, but there is concern that more vulnerable people might lose out.

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http://www.easier.com/view/News/Property/article-22592.html