Working out your Local Housing Allowance if you're under 35

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 aged under 35, are single and do not live with any dependants, you can only get the Local Housing Allowance shared room rate. For further information about Housing Benefit see Housing Benefit for single people under 35 and see Local Housing Allowance rates to get the shared room rate.

You also need to find out if you can get the full amount of benefit. 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

Practical example

Marcus is single and aged 33.

Marcus is under 35 so is entitled to the Local Housing Allowance shared room rate. When Marcus reaches 35, they will be entitled to the one-bedroom rate, provided they rent accommodation of this type.

There are special rules if you are:

• a care leaver aged under 22
• severely disabled

What happens if your rent is not the same as your LHA

If your rent is less than the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate that applies to you, your benefit entitlement will be based on the rent that you pay.

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