Local Housing Allowance
What is Local Housing Allowance (LHA)?
- Make a new claim for Housing Benefit
- Change address
- Have a break in their Housing Benefit claim of at least one week
- a single claimant or for an adult couple
- any two children aged under 10
- any two children of the same sex aged 15 or under
- any other adult aged 16 or over
- any other child
- a non resident carer*
*From April 2011 a bedroom is also allowed for a carer who stays overnight on a regular basis to look after you or your partner, provided there is a spare bedroom available for them to use.
How much will I receive?
The amount of Local Housing Allowance you are entitled to will depend on the size of property you need and the monthly Local Housing Allowance rate set by the Rent Service.
- Shared Accommodation
- 1 bedroom – self contained
- 2 bedrooms
- 3 bedrooms
- 4 bedrooms
The Rent Service gathers details of tenancies offered for rent in an area known as a Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). There are 2 Broad Rental Market Areas within the Sefton area. The Rent Service will compile figures based on information from the rental market and produce new Local Housing Allowance figures every month*. There are no appeal rights against the rates set for Local Housing Allowance by the Rent Service.
- www.sefton.gov.uk/media/956399/reference-guide-to-benefits-and-tax-credits.pdf
Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA)
- Southport, (all PR8 and PR9 postcodes)
- Formby
- Little Altcar,
- Hightown
- Ince Blundell
- Bootle (including Netherton)
- Crosby (including Seaforth, Waterloo and Blundellsands)
- Litherland
- Maghull
- Lydiate
- Aintree
- Melling
- Thornton
- Parish of Sefton
How will Local Housing Allowance be paid?
- More than 8 weeks in arrears
- Learning difficulties.
- Fleeing domestic violence.
- Alcohol/drug/gambling addictions
- Have a history of rent arrears.
What if I do not have a bank account?
If you do not have a bank account you will need to open a Basic Bank Account. From this a standing order can be set up to pay your rent directly to your landlord.
Justlets (Southport), 7 Altham Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 6XL.