Local Housing Allowance new from 7/4/08

sammyjammy

New from today is Local Housing Allowance which replaces Housing Benefit for people in the deregulated private sector only:

• Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is a new way of calculating Housing Benefit. It is based on household size and location, and not on individual rents.
• It will apply to claimants in the deregulated private sector only.
• It will be rolled out nationally on 7 April 2008 to all customers in the deregulated private sector making a new claim and to those who change their address or have a break in their claim.
• It will normally be paid direct to the customer.

There will be 7 categories from A to G ranging from shared room/bedsit to 6 bedrooms houses with a set amount caculated by each local authority for their area using the median value. If the rent you actually pay is less than that given up to a maximum of £15 week then you can legitimately keep that money, if its higher you have to pay the difference yourself or find alternative accommodation.

Hope this helps

Sam

nikosoboushi

Hi Sam

Was wondering if you could help..

I currently work full time but want to leave where i work and go part time somewhere else for various reasons. I expect toe arn about 80 per week and have worked out what id get where i will be living. However I know that when you leave a full time job voluntarily you cant claim Jobseekers allowance - Although I dont wish to claim JSA as ill live off my 80 quid, can you claim HB when you have voluntrarily left a full time job or do you get penalised? I have not seen this mentioned anywhere..

Cheers

Nikos

sammyjammy

Nikos

I don't actually work for HB but as far as I'm aware its based on your income alone so no they wouldn't care why you left your last job or even ask!
HTH
Sam

nikosoboushi

ok

thanks, ill stick it in another post and see what people think, hopefully the same as you!

cheers

Chrysalis

my council have published the rates for my area and thankfully they higher than the figures on the other website I had posted and look reasonable.

lil_me

http://lha-direct.therentservice.gov.uk/

LHA rates are now available.

PLEASE REMEMBER - the new LHA are based on BEDROOM entitlement rather than the old ROOM entitlements.

Examples

If you were previously entitled to 3 ROOMS as a couple and one child you will now be entitled to 2 BEDROOMS.

If you were a family of 4 with 2 children under 15 of the same sex you would have previously been entitled to 4 ROOMS you would now only be entitled to 2 BEDROOMS.

This is something many seem to be missing when working out entitlements, there is a calculator on the website to work out entitlements.