Check your local housing allowance

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is the name for the way Housing Benefit is worked out for most tenants of private landlords.

You will be exempt from the LHA provisions if you are:

• a private tenant who has been receiving housing benefit in respect of the same property since April 2008 and there has not been a break in your entitlement
• a council tenant
• a tenant of a housing association
• living in bed and breakfast accommodation
• living in a caravan, mobile home or house boat
• paying rent in respect of a tenancy agreement which started before 1989
• live somewhere where you are provided with care, support or supervision

LHA is based on a given fixed rate for your area, not on how much your rent is. There are different rates depending on if you or your household lives in shared, 1, 2, 3, or 4 bedroom accommodation.

If your rent is lower than the LHA rate for your area, we use the lower figure and the number of bedrooms to calculate how much you get.

If your rent is higher than the LHA rate, we can only use the LHA rate to calculate how much you get.

The actual amount of benefit you receive depends on your income, capital (such as savings) and who lives with you.

Find out how many bedrooms you’re entitled to under LHA and find out what your LHA rate is at GOV.UK'S LHA guidance webpage.

The Shared Accommodation Rate is the maximum amount we can pay if you:

• are single
• under the age of 35
• don't get severe disability premium
• are entitled to Local Housing Allowance

You’ll get this rate even if you live in a self-contained property such as a one-bedroom flat.

This rule won’t apply if:

• you have a partner
• a non-dependant adult lives with you
• you’re getting Child Benefit for a child in your care, or
• you qualify for certain disability benefits, or
• you’re aged under 25 and have been in care
• you have lived in a homeless hostel for 3 months or more

Local Housing Allowance rates are set independently by the Valuation Office Agency.

Weekly LHA rates for Waltham Forest from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

When rent is in arrears for 8 weeks or more we’ll pay Housing Benefit directly to the landlord.

Landlords are encouraged to contact the Benefit Service when rent has been in arrears for five weeks to give us time to gather information before the tenant is in arrears for 8 weeks.

If you want to tell the Benefits Service that your tenant is in arrears with their rent, please complete the Landlord Rent Arrears form (Word doc) and return it to us with supporting evidence. For more information, please visit Housing Benefit advice for landlords.