OVER one million private renters on benefits have seen payments frozen this week with some facing a more than £3,000 shortfall.
Local Allowance (LHA) rates are .
LHA sets the maximum amount people from a private landlord get in Housing or the housing element of .
LHA rates vary based on the size of your property, as well as your age, rent levels in your area and who you live with.
See our map above for the maximum amount you can get for a three-bedroom based on where you live.
Current LHA rates will stay the same until April 2026, . Before this they had been frozen since 2020.
The freeze means private renters on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit face a shortfall when it comes to paying landlords.
The Resolution Foundation said freezing LHA rates in 2025/26 will leave renters with an average shortfall of £14 per week – £730 a year.
In areas with higher rents, such as inner , this will be far higher, with shortfalls of up to £60 a week, or £3,129 a year.
Tom Wernham, research at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, previously said: “The latest statistics show that private rents have already grown 8.4% since September 2023 [the date when LHA was last set].
“With rents rising fast, the proportion of properties which can be covered byHousingBenefitwill shrink rapidly, and pressure will mount on the government to increase the LHA rates, once again.”
You can check your LHA rates on the government website atlha-direct.voa.gov.uk/
HELP FOR RENTERS
Rental costs have soared across the UK in recent years – but there is help at hand.
The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals the average cost of rent in the UK is at £1,326 a month.
In , they are as high as £1,381, rising 8.3% between February 2024 and February 2025.
If you are struggling with your living costs, there are schemes out there that might be able to help you out.
Discretionary housing payments
can help low-income households cover their housing costs.
This can include one-off payments to cover short term rental costs, be put towards a rent deposit on a new property or even rent in advance.
For those with disabilities, it can also be used to cover the costs of adapting your home to meet your health needs.
The payment does not cover things like oron the home you live in.
The exact amount you get depends on where you live as each local authority dishes out the cash on a case-by-case basis.
Find out what's on offer in your area by visiting gov.uk/find-local-council.
Welfare assistance schemes
Many local authorities also have welfare assistance schemes in place.
Help varies from free cash and food vouchers to money towards rent and energy bills.
Some areas offer up to £1,000, whereas some councils do not have any scheme in place at all.
Household Support Fund
The is a giant fund worth £842million which has been shared between in England.
These councils then have to decide how to allocate their share, but usually help is offered to those on benefits or a low income.
The latest round is open between April and March 2026, so it's worth seeing if you're eligible for support.
Speak to your local council to see what its eligibility criteria is. You can find what council area you fall under via www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
