Working out your LHA if you are severely disabled

To work out how much benefit you might get you need to find out what Local Housing Allowance rate your benefit will be based on.

If you are under 25 years old and severely disabled, or live with a severely disabled partner, and have no dependent children, your benefit will be based on the one bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate.

To qualify for the severely disabled rate you must qualify for the severe disability premium.  There are three conditions for this premium.

You must be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• The middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance. or
• Attendance Allowance at either rate, or
• Industrial Disablement or War Disablement benefit that contains an increase for mobility or attendance.

Have no non-dependants, unless any of the following exceptions apply:

• Non-dependant is registered or certified blind
• Non-dependants who receive one of the following benefits:

1. The middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, or
2. Attendance Allowance at either rate, or
3. Industrial Disablement or War Disablement benefit that contains an increase for mobility or attendance.

• No-one is receiving Carers Allowance for looking after you. There are some special rules about this. If you would like more information please contact us. 

The amount of benefit you can get may be affected by:

• any money you have coming in
• any savings you have
• how much your rent is
• if you share paying the rent with someone else
• Non-dependants

If you claim benefit you can only get it for yourself and your family. If you share a property with someone who is part of your family but who is over eighteen years old your benefit may be reduced. This is because we may expect them to pay towards your rent.

Joint tenants

If you are a joint tenant this might affect the benefit you can get.  For more information about joint tenants, please get in touch with us at the address below.

What if your rent is not the same as the Local Housing Allowance rate that applies to you?

If your rent is less than the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate that applies to you, your benefit entitlement will still be based on this rate.   If the difference between your rent and your LHA rate less than £15 per week your entitlement will be based on the full amount of your LHA rate.  For example, if your weekly rent is £90 and your LHA rate is £100 the maximum amount we could pay you would be £100.

If your rent is more than £15 per week less than your LHA rate your entitlement will be based on the amount of your rent plus £15.  For example, if your weekly rent is £60 the maximum amount we could pay you would be £75.

If your rent is more than your LHA rate you will have to pay the difference yourself.

Page last reviewed 6 May 2009