Local housing allowance examples
Use the information on this page to help you work out which rate is likely to apply to your situation.
- Example
- If you're aged under 35, single and have no dependant children
- Applicable LHA rate
- Shared room
- Example
- If you're a care leaver under 22, or live with a care leaver under 22 who is your partner, and you have no dependant children. By care leaver we mean someone who was in council care after the age of 15.
- Applicable LHA rate
- One bedroom
- Example
- If you're severely disabled or live with a severely disabled partner and have no dependant children
- Applicable LHA rate
- One bedroom
- Example
If you share any part of your accommodation. This means you have exclusive use of only one bedroom and shared use of one or more of the following:
- Kitchen
- Bathroom
- Toilet
- Room suitable for living in
If you're a joint tenant, you'll probably fall into this category.
- Applicable LHA rate
- Shared room
- Example
A single person aged 35 or over, with no children OR a couple with no children living in a self-contained flat or in shared accommodation with two or more rooms (bedrooms or living rooms) that no-one else can use.
By couple we mean a couple who are married or living together as if they're married (this includes couples of the same sex).
By a self-contained property we mean one where you have your own room plus your own:
- Bathroom
- Toilet
- Kitchen (or facilities to cook with)
For example, this could be a one-bedroom flat.
- Applicable LHA rate
- One bedroom
- Example
- A single person aged 35 or over, with no children OR a couple with no children, living in a house where they share facilities and don't have two or more rooms (bedrooms or living rooms) that no-one else can use.
- Applicable LHA rate
- Shared room
- Example
- A couple with a nine-year-old child
- Applicable LHA rate
- Two bedrooms (one for the couple and one for the child)
- Example
A single mother who has three children:
- Two sons, aged 14 and six
- One daughter, aged 11
- Applicable LHA rate
- Three bedrooms (one for the single mother, one for the daughter and one for the two sons)
- Example
A couple with five children:
- Two sons aged 15 and 17
- Three daughters aged 12, nine and six
- Applicable LHA rate
- Four bedrooms (one for the couple, one for each son, one for two daughters to share and a fifth room for the other daughter, but LHA is restricted to a maximum rate of four rooms)