What are the Local Housing Allowance rates for 2026/27?

For private renters who get, or are claiming, Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates cap how much Housing Benefit or Universal Credit you can get for private rent.

For April 2026 to March 2027, LHA rates are frozen at the same levels as April 2024.
The freeze covers every area in England, Scotland and Wales.
Your rate depends on where you live and how many bedrooms you are allowed.
You get your rent or your LHA rate, whichever is lower.
You can look up your rate on the Valuation Office Agency website.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

2026/27 rates frozen at 2024 levels
Rate depends on area and bedrooms
Most single under 35s: shared rate
Highest rate is for 4 bedrooms

What LHA rates do

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates set the most you can get towards private rent through Housing Benefit or the housing part of Universal Credit. If your rent is higher than the LHA rate, you pay the difference yourself.

Each area has its own rates. The areas are called Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMAs). The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) sets the rates in England and publishes them as weekly amounts.

2026/27 rates are frozen

The rates for April 2026 to March 2027 are the same rates that came into force on 1 April 2024. A 2026 law fixed the rate for every area and every size of home at the level set on 31 January 2024. This applies in England, Scotland and Wales.

The 5 rate sizes

Category	Who it is for
A: shared accommodation	A room in a shared house
B: 1 bedroom	1 bedroom self-contained home
C: 2 bedrooms	Household allowed 2 bedrooms
D: 3 bedrooms	Household allowed 3 bedrooms
E: 4 bedrooms	Household allowed 4 or more (the top rate)

How many bedrooms you are allowed

These people are expected to share a bedroom:

an adult couple
2 children under 16 of the same sex
2 children under 10, whatever their sex

Others usually get their own room, such as a single adult aged 16 or over. You may get an extra room for an overnight carer, or for a couple or children who cannot share because of a disability or medical condition. Approved foster carers can keep one room for up to 52 weeks between placements.

Single people under 35

If you are single, under 35 and have nobody else living with you, you usually only get the shared accommodation rate, even if you rent a whole flat. There are exceptions, including some care leavers under 25.

Example weekly rates (Scotland)

The Scottish Government publishes rates for Scottish areas. Because of the freeze, the 2024/25 rates still apply in 2026/27.

Area	Shared	1 bed	2 bed	3 bed	4 bed
Greater Glasgow	£103.56	£159.95	£195.62	£223.23	£414.25
Lothian	£109.32	£172.60	£223.23	£316.44	£501.70

Example 1: you rent a 1 bedroom flat in Greater Glasgow for £180 a week and are allowed 1 bedroom. The LHA rate is £159.95, so your help is worked out on £159.95. You pay the other £20.05 a week yourself.

Example 2: a family allowed 2 bedrooms in Lothian has an LHA rate of £223.23 a week. Over a year that is £11,607.96 (£223.23 x 52), or about £967 a month.

These are the most that can count. What you actually get also depends on your income, savings and other things.

Find your own rate

Use the VOA's LHA search tool. Enter your postcode or council, the number of bedrooms and when your claim starts. The VOA also has a bedroom calculator.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Find your LHA rate

Common questions

Did LHA rates go up in April 2026?

No. The rates for April 2026 to March 2027 are the same as those that started on 1 April 2024.

What if my rent is higher than the LHA rate?

Your help is based on the lower of the two, so you pay the difference yourself.

Official sources

1.LHA rates applicable from April 2026 to March 2027 (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates-applicable-from-april-2026-to-march-2027
2.Housing Benefit: what you'll get (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/housing-benefit/what-youll-get
3.Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2026: explanatory note (legislation.gov.uk)www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/5/note/made
4.Find a Local Housing Allowance rate (Valuation Office Agency)lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/search.aspx

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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