INFORMATION FOR PRIVATE LANDLORDS:

From 6th April 2009, we are making changes to the way Housing Benefit under Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is calculated for large families.

What are the changes?

New Claimants who make a claim for Housing Benefit on or after 6th April 2009 for a house consisting of six or more bedrooms will only be entitled to an LHA rate of five bedrooms which will be the maximum payable.

Existing claimants already in receipt of the LHA rate for six or more bedrooms will continue to receive that until their claim is reviewed (usually at the anniversary date of their claim), after which their claim will be re-assessed according to the five bedroom LHA rate for their area. However, for the first 26 weeks after the review (known as the transitions period), the LHA rate payable will be maintained at the higher rate that was paid to them before the review.

During the 26 weeks transition period, tenants will be able to exercise choice and look for alternative cheaper accommodation, or re-nogotiate their rental contract.

Where there is a change in address, the claim will be reviewed and the appropriate five bedroom LHA rate of the new property will become payable.

What do these changes mean?

From the 6 April 2009, we will calculate Local Housing Allowance amounts to take account of these new rules. Anyone who claims and is entitled to Local Housing Allowance after this date will have their Local Housing Allowance worked out according to the new rules.

(The maximum rate of LHA payable is restricted to the five bedroom LHA rate appropriate to the Broad Rental Market Area in which the person who is claiming lives.)

People who get Local Housing Allowance for six or more bedrooms at the moment

When the changes are introduced on 6 April 2009, there will be some people already getting Housing Benefit for six or more bedrooms under the Local Housing Allowance scheme. These people, will continue to receive this rate until their cases are reviewed (usually at the anniversary date of their claim). At this point their claim will be assessed according to the five bedroom rate appropriate to the area in which they live.

For these people, we have introduced a 26 week transitional protection which means that they may continue to receive their benefit at the higher LHA rate of six or more bedrooms after their review date.  Their claim will then be re-assessed according to the five bedroom LHA rate.

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Local Housing Allowance is a new way of working out new claims for Housing Benefit for tenants renting accommodation from a private landlord. It also affects tenants already getting Housing Benefit who move into accommodation rented from a private landlord. Local Housing Allowance is being introduced on 7 April, 2008. If you live in council accommodation or other social housing, Local Housing Allowance will not affect you.

For details of the weekly Local Housing Allowance rates for the Braintree District Council Area click on the links below: 

- LHA Rates for March 2010
- LHA Rates for February 2010
- LHA Rates for January 2010
 

These allowances may change on a Monthly basis.

-  Please click here to see a map showing the area boundaries.

To find out more about Local Housing Allowance and how to work out which LHA rate applies to you take a look at one of our PDF leaflets listed below: 

- General Introduction to Local Housing Allowance

- Working out your Local Housing Allowance [HB(LHA)2]

- Working out your LHA under 25 years

- Working out your LHA for over 25 years

  
If you have any queries about Local Housing Allowance, you can:

<>   Phone our Customer Services Centre on 01376 552525

<>   Visit our offices at Braintree, Halstead or Witham. Details of these can be found on our website.

<>   e-mail us lha@braintree.gov.uk

<>   Visit the DWP web site