Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Rates per Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA), UK 2012-2024 (version 2)

This dataset contains the weekly Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for Broad Rental Market Areas (BRMAs) across the UK from 2012/13 to 2024/25. LHA is a means-tested housing benefit for households in the private rented sector. BRMAs are the spatial units used for the administration of LHA. Since 2011, there have been 200 BRMAs in total (England: 152; Northern Ireland: 8; Scotland: 18; Wales: 23; but note that one BRMA spans England and Wales). LHA rates set the maximum level of housing benefit a household can receive in a given BRMA and is dependent on the size of their property. The dataset also includes estimates of the 30th centile rent for each BRMA as this is calculated separately by the Government agencies as a reference point for LHA.

LHA rates are set from April each year, based on evidence of market rents collected by the relevant government agency in each country. From April 2011, the maximum LHA rate was reduced from the median rent for each BRMA to the 30th centile rent. From 2012 onwards, limits were placed on the annual increases in LHA rates:

2012 - no increase;

2013 - increase limited to the Consumer Price Index;

2014 /2015 - maximum increase 1%;

2016-19 - no increases;

2020 - rates reset to 30th centile;

2021-23 - no increases; and

2024 - rates reset to 30th centile.

There are no 30th centile rents for any part of Great Britain for 2012/13 and none for Northern Ireland in 2018. There are a small number of cases where 30th centile rents are missing in some BRMAs, presumably due to insufficient data on which to make a market assessment.

Details on sources and method of contruction here: https://github.com/nick-bailey/LHA-rates-for-BRMAs.