Check your LHA Against Your Current Rent

PasturesNew

The LHA comes into force next week. This is effectively a fixed Housing Benefit amount that will be paid to you from next week if you make a new claim and aren't in social housing (to keep it simple). So if you're already renting, this won't change what you get.

But, interested to see how you'd do if you lost your job today?

These are the steps:
1) Find out how many rooms they'd pay for
2) Check with your local council to find out how much they're paying.

It's all here http://lha-direct.therentservice.gov.uk/Default.aspx

Oh - and remember, multiply the weekly amount by 4.3 (or by 52 then divide by 12) to get the monthly figure. A weekly rent of £100/week isn't £400/month, it is £433

I'll post mine.

PasturesNew

I am single, over 25, living alone.
Current rent £350
My LHA would be £103.85/week, which is £446.55/month

So I'd be able to keep £15/week of that difference; if your rent is less than LHA you can keep £15/week. Which is a significant increase on what would be JSA of £59/week!

So, for somebody in my position, they'd be better off, with an effective 25% increase in income (£59 + £15)

dad-of-4

I would be entitled to £524 even tho i pay £312 ish for my council house.

personaly i think this stinks, i cant help thinking landlords will price them selves as high as possable where able to, giving another reason why people will question wether its worth going out to work, if the landlords dont, them im sure the surplus cash left in dolies pockets will be a good enough incentive to keep signing on for many.

all i need is another kid and i could have £694.98:rotfl:

what a joke.:rolleyes:

Benefits_Blagger

dad-of-4 wrote: »

I would be entitled to £524 even tho i pay £312 ish for my council house.

personaly i think this stinks, i cant help thinking landlords will price them selves as high as possable where able to, giving another reason why people will question wether its worth going out to work, if the landlords dont, them im sure the surplus cash left in dolies pockets will be a good enough incentive to keep signing on for many.

all i need is another kid and i could have £694.98:rotfl:

what a joke.:rolleyes:

the LHA only applies to private rental accomodation not council or housing associations

dad-of-4

Benefits_Blagger wrote: »

the LHA only applies to private rental accomodation not council or housing associations

ah i didnt know that,

to be honest i would be interested to know how my local authority are paying under the old system, the ammount there offering now would be enough for me to get off a council estate and onto a nicer private area, tho having said that, i know within the postcode basing it on rooms can give quite a variable price, enough for the benefit to be short by over 100 quid a month easily.

overall i cant see it being any better than the current system, but definitly open to abuse.

Benefits_Blagger

dad-of-4 wrote: »

ah i didnt know that,

to be honest i would be interested to know how my local authority are paying under the old system, the ammount there offering now would be enough for me to get off a council estate and onto a nicer private area, tho having said that, i know within the postcode basing it on rooms can give quite a variable price, enough for the benefit to be short by over 100 quid a month easily.

overall i cant see it being any better than the current system, but definitly open to abuse.

under the pilot schemes you got to keep any difference, and checking out the LHA rates down south it was definitly open to abuse, however they've introduced £15 cap which should prevent any problems.

this should defintly help people out, as it will allow people to escape council estates. one of the aims of the scheme is that because the LL is totally cut out of the equation (i.e. as in there is no contact at at between your LL and the council) it should make finding private rental accomodation easier.

IveSeenTheLight

Benefits_Blagger wrote: »

this should defintly help people out, as it will allow people to escape council estates. one of the aims of the scheme is that because the LL is totally cut out of the equation (i.e. as in there is no contact at at between your LL and the council) it should make finding private rental accomodation easier.

just a couple of queries from your post.

What happens to all the council estates if people want to get out of them?

Any private landlord will staill want to do security checks / references from employers so not sure how you think it will affect your chances of getting private rental. If you think this is because the council will not be able to enforce capped levels then I guess this may make a small difference.

Would this not increase the growing number of pelpe looking to rent privately thus push rental prices up?

PasturesNew

Most people won't abandon a council home for private rented. imho. They've got a home for life with the council place and no fees up front.

Don't forget that privately renting there are fees and short rights to stay.

MERFE

I've put in a claim for housing benefit last week, does anyone know if it'll be housing benefit or this new LHA? We are only entitled to a small help with the rent hopefully not our entire rent so how does it work then? The calculators there say we are entitled to 2 beds (thats what we have, although dont fancy staying in 2bed till the kids are 10 so we'll have to pay for it when we move) says LHA is 132.69 per week and we pay 126.92 at the moment

Benefits_Blagger

MERFE wrote: »

I've put in a claim for housing benefit last week, does anyone know if it'll be housing benefit or this new LHA? We are only entitled to a small help with the rent hopefully not our entire rent so how does it work then? The calculators there say we are entitled to 2 beds (thats what we have, although dont fancy staying in 2bed till the kids are 10 so we'll have to pay for it when we move) says LHA is 132.69 per week and we pay 126.92 at the moment

it depends which one you will better off under.

if it works out that you will be better off under the current HB system you recieve this until LHA exceeeds it.

if LHA already exceeds it, you will go straight onto LHA

RHemmings

I would be qualified for £491pcm for a two bed. I currently pay less than that for a 3 bed.