Housing benefit for private tenants (local housing allowance)

Local Housing Allowance rates are used to calculate housing benefit for tenants renting from private landlords

How local housing allowance rates are calculated

LHA rates are decided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) using information based on rents provided by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

LHA rates relate to an area in which a claim is made.

These areas are called Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMA).

A BRMA is where a person could reasonably be expected to live taking into account access to certain facilities and services.

Find your broad rental market area

Northumberland County Council is broken down into the following BRMAs:

Northumberland area map.pdf
Tyneside area map.pdf
Durham area map.pdf
North Cumbria area map.pdf
 
To quickly find your local housing allowance rate enter your postcode online at LHA Direct.gov

 

How do you work out what am I entitled to?

 
The amount that you're entitled to depends on:

• The area you live in (BRMA)
• Who lives with you
• The number of bedrooms you and your family need
• Any savings or money you may have coming in

 
Check how many bedrooms you may be eligible for, based on the number of people in your household using the DirectGov.UK: Bedroom calculator.

The maximum number of bedrooms you can qualify for (including additional bedrooms) is four.

We do not count joint tenants.

 
 

Local housing allowance rates

 

1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
Broad Rental Market area	Shared accommodation rate	1 Bed	2 Beds	3 Beds	4 Beds
Northumberland	£82.00 £356.31	£86.30 £374.99	£97.81 £425.01	£121.97 £529.99	£174.90 £759.98
Tyneside	£87.76 £381.34	£112.77 £490.01	£126.58 £550.02	£149.59 £650.00	£212.88 £925.01
Durham	£90.50 £393.24	£90.50 £393.24	£92.05 £399.98	£109.32 £475.02	£151.86 £659.87
North Cumbria	£73.60 £319.81	£90.90 £394.98	£109.32 £475.02	£135.78 £590.00	£170.30 £739.99

 

How it is paid

 
Local Housing Allowance is usually paid to you and not to your landlord.  You are then responsible for paying your rent to your landlord.

In some special cases, we may pay direct to your landlord.
For more details download our safeguarding policy.pdf

Contact us

Telephone: 0345 600 6400
Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5pm
Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm