Local Housing Allowance

Local Housing Allowance is the maximum amount of Housing Benefit the government says we can give private tenants.

The amount of benefit you get will depend on the number of bedrooms you need.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) decides what the Local Housing Allowance will be for each area based on average rent prices.

2023–2024 rates

This is the Local Housing Allowance from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

The table shows the maximum amount of Housing Benefit we can give you. Your actual entitlement may be lower depending on your household income or savings. 

  Heywood weekly Heywood monthly Middleton weekly Middleton monthly Rochdale and Pennines weekly Rochdale and Pennines monthly
Single person under 35, shared rate £66.74 £289.21 £75.50 £327.17 £66.39 £287.69
1 bedroom £90.90 £393.90 £138.08 £598.35 £90.90 £393.90
2 bedroom £110.47 £478.70 £149.59 £648.22 £103.85 £450.02
3 bedroom £136.93 £593.36 £166.85 £723.02 £126.58 £548.51
4 bedroom £184.11 £797.81 £218.63 £947.40 £159.95 £693.12

2024–2025 rates

This is the Local Housing Allowance from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

The table shows the maximum amount of Housing Benefit we can give you. Your actual entitlement may be lower depending on your household income or savings. 

  Heywood weekly Heywood monthly Middleton weekly Middleton monthly Rochdale and Pennines weekly Rochdale and Pennines monthly
Single person under 35, shared rate £78.59 £340.56 £94.72 £410.45 £79.36 £343.89
1 bedroom £109.32 £473.72 £178.36 £772.89 £109.32 £473.72
2 bedroom £132.33 £573.43 £201.37 £872.60 £132.91 £575.94
3 bedroom £161.10 £698.10 £218.63 £947.40 £159.95 £693.12
4 bedroom £218.63 £947.40 £310.68 £1,346.28 £218.63 £947.40

Bedroom calculator

How many bedrooms you can claim depends on your age and who lives with you. It's not based on the number of bedrooms you actually have in the property you rent.

Housing Benefit only pays for a maximum of 4 bedrooms, even if the size of your family exceeds this.

Use the bedroom calculator to find out how many bedrooms the government says you need.

Local Housing Allowance bedroom calculator on Directgov

Receiving your payments

We'll pay LHA directly into your bank account unless you're more than 8 weeks in arrears or we consider you to be unable to manage your own payments. It's your responsibility to pay the full rent to your landlord.

You may find the amount of Housing Benefit you're entitled to won't cover all your rent.

If this is the case:

  • You'll need to make up the difference out of any other income, savings or benefits you receive.
  • You may want to look for cheaper accommodation.