Rates guide

In each broad rental market area (BRMA) there is a set of rates on which a claim is based depending on the household of the person making a claim. The lowest rate is the shared room rate and until 4 April 2011 the highest was the 5 bedroom rate.

However, from 4 April 2011 LHA levels will be capped at the 4 bedroom rate. This means for all new claims where families have an entitlement of 5 or more bedrooms the LHA rate will be restricted to the 4 bedroom rate. Existing claimants already in receipt of the LHA rate for 5 or more bedrooms will continue to receive that rate until their claim is reviewed. For details of this and other changes to the scheme from April 2011 please visit the changes to local allowance page.

In Plymouth there is one broad rental market area which means that if the Rent Service decides the Local Housing Allowance rate for a 2 bedroom dwelling is, for example, £117.69 per week, this figure applies to all cases that will be assessed using Local Housing Allowance throughout the whole of the city.

The Rent Service will continually monitor the local rental market and update the Local Housing Allowance figures every month. We will publish these each month on this website, in our offices and at other places such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, Job Centres, PATH, Shelter, Housing Branch offices and Housing Advice.

Although the figures may change monthly this does not mean that the Local Housing Allowance rate applied to a persons claim will change monthly. A rate will be applied for the month in which the claim is made or treated as being made, and will be reviewed annually.

To view the current rates, please visit our current rates page.

To find out your room entitlement please visit our room entitlement page.