Research
The Local Housing Allowance gap
Local Housing Allowance, the cap on housing support for private renters, is frozen at its April 2024 level for April 2026 to March 2027. This compares it with the 30th percentile of rents the Valuation Office calculated for every area of England.
Last updated 19 October 2026
Areas where the 2-bed allowance is below the 30th percentile
152 of 152
Typical 2-bed shortfall
£103
a month, £1,236 a year
Typical share of the rent covered
87%
2 bedrooms
Allowance rates
Frozen since April 2024
April 2026 to March 2027
What this compares. The allowance in force for April 2026 to March 2027 against the 30th percentile of rents in each area: the rent below which 30% of rents fall, from rents being paid in the 12 months to September 2025. The Valuation Office calculated these figures for 2026, but they were not used because the rates were frozen. England only.
Find your area
What the figures show
152 of 152
areas in England where the 2-bedroom Local Housing Allowance is below the 30th percentile of local rents. For every size of home, from a shared room to 4 bedrooms, it falls short in at least 151 areas.
£103
a month is the typical shortfall for a 2-bedroom home, about £1,236 a year, between the allowance and the 30th percentile rent. For a 1-bedroom home it is £83, and for 3 bedrooms £123.
60%
of the 30th percentile 2-bedroom rent is covered in Central London, where the allowance is held down by the national cap: a shortfall of £1,198 a month.
Tameside & Glossop
has the lowest coverage outside London: the 2-bedroom allowance covers 75.7% of the 30th percentile rent. Next are Bolton and Bury (76.9%) and Southern Greater Manchester (79.6%).
£242
a month is the biggest 2-bedroom shortfall outside London, in Cambridge. Then North West Kent (£202) and Reading (£201).
Since April 2024
the Local Housing Allowance has stood still: the rates for April 2026 to March 2027 are the same as those from April 2024, while the rents they are measured against have kept moving.
By size of home
| Size of home | Areas below the 30th percentile | Typical shortfall a month | Typical share covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared room | 152 of 152 | £54 | 88% |
| 1 bedroom | 151 of 152 | £83 | 88% |
| 2 bedrooms | 152 of 152 | £103 | 87% |
| 3 bedrooms | 151 of 152 | £123 | 87% |
| 4 bedrooms | 152 of 152 | £148 | 88% |
By region, 2-bedroom homes
| Region | Typical share covered | Typical shortfall a month | Lowest coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| North West | 84% | £98 | Tameside & Glossop (75.7%) |
| London | 85% | £246 | Central London (60%) |
| North East | 85% | £74 | Darlington (82%) |
| East Midlands | 86% | £96 | Nottingham (82%) |
| West Midlands | 87% | £98 | Coventry (82%) |
| East of England | 87% | £134 | Cambridge (79.7%) |
| South East | 88% | £125 | Ashford (81.2%) |
| South West | 88% | £98 | North Cornwall & Devon Borders (81.4%) |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 89% | £71 | Barnsley (82%) |
Each area is placed in the region where most of its land lies.
All 152 areas
Monthly figures for 2-bedroom homes, biggest shortfall first. Click a column to sort, or a row to see it on the map.
| Central London(capped) | London | £1,794 | £2,992 | £1,198 | 60% |
| Inner East London | London | £1,750 | £2,069 | £319 | 84.6% |
| Inner South West London | London | £1,700 | £1,995 | £295 | 85.2% |
| North West London | London | £1,350 | £1,632 | £282 | 82.7% |
| Inner West London | London | £1,625 | £1,902 | £277 | 85.4% |
| Inner North London(capped) | London | £1,794 | £2,044 | £250 | 87.8% |
| Outer North East London | London | £1,250 | £1,496 | £246 | 83.6% |
| Outer West London | London | £1,300 | £1,546 | £246 | 84.1% |
| Outer East London | London | £1,400 | £1,645 | £245 | 85.1% |
| Cambridge | East of England | £950 | £1,192 | £242 | 79.7% |
| Outer South London | London | £1,200 | £1,413 | £213 | 84.9% |
| Inner South East London | London | £1,550 | £1,760 | £210 | 88.1% |
| North West Kent | South East | £995 | £1,197 | £202 | 83.1% |
| Reading | South East | £1,095 | £1,296 | £201 | 84.5% |
| Outer South West London | London | £1,495 | £1,695 | £200 | 88.2% |
| Ashford | South East | £850 | £1,047 | £197 | 81.2% |
| Blackwater Valley | South East | £1,000 | £1,197 | £197 | 83.6% |
| Chelmsford | East of England | £950 | £1,147 | £197 | 82.8% |
| South East Herts | East of England | £1,050 | £1,247 | £197 | 84.2% |
| East Thames Valley | South East | £1,200 | £1,396 | £196 | 86% |
| Outer North London | London | £1,400 | £1,596 | £196 | 87.7% |
| Outer South East London | London | £1,300 | £1,496 | £196 | 86.9% |
| Tameside & Glossop | North West | £600 | £793 | £193 | 75.7% |
| Maidstone | South East | £905 | £1,097 | £192 | 82.5% |
| Southern Greater Manchester | North West | £750 | £942 | £192 | 79.6% |
| Bolton and Bury | North West | £575 | £748 | £173 | 76.9% |
| Bournemouth | South West | £875 | £1,047 | £172 | 83.6% |
| Bury St Edmunds | East of England | £775 | £947 | £172 | 81.8% |
| Central Greater Manchester | North West | £875 | £1,047 | £172 | 83.6% |
| Harlow & Stortford | East of England | £1,025 | £1,197 | £172 | 85.7% |
| Stevenage & North Herts | East of England | £975 | £1,147 | £172 | 85% |
| Bath | South West | £980 | £1,147 | £167 | 85.5% |
| Bristol | South West | £1,095 | £1,247 | £152 | 87.8% |
| Colchester | East of England | £795 | £947 | £152 | 83.9% |
| Coventry | West Midlands | £675 | £823 | £148 | 82% |
| Thanet | South East | £750 | £898 | £148 | 83.6% |
| Chichester | South East | £950 | £1,097 | £147 | 86.6% |
| Chilterns | South East | £1,100 | £1,247 | £147 | 88.2% |
| Crawley & Reigate | South East | £1,100 | £1,247 | £147 | 88.2% |
| Medway & Swale | South East | £850 | £997 | £147 | 85.2% |
| South West Essex | East of England | £950 | £1,097 | £147 | 86.6% |
| Winchester | South East | £1,050 | £1,197 | £147 | 87.7% |
| South West Herts | East of England | £1,250 | £1,396 | £146 | 89.5% |
| Birmingham | West Midlands | £750 | £893 | £143 | 84% |
| Nottingham | East Midlands | £650 | £793 | £143 | 82% |
| North Cornwall & Devon Borders | South West | £609 | £748 | £139 | 81.4% |
| Walton | South East | £1,212 | £1,346 | £134 | 90% |
| Greater Liverpool | North West | £595 | £723 | £128 | 82.3% |
| Northants Central | East Midlands | £695 | £823 | £128 | 84.5% |
| Sheffield | Yorkshire and The Humber | £620 | £748 | £128 | 82.9% |
| Aylesbury | South East | £995 | £1,122 | £127 | 88.7% |
| Portsmouth | South East | £845 | £972 | £127 | 86.9% |
| East Cheshire | North West | £725 | £848 | £123 | 85.5% |
| Gloucester | South West | £725 | £848 | £123 | 85.5% |
| Leicester | East Midlands | £650 | £773 | £123 | 84.1% |
| Southport | North West | £600 | £723 | £123 | 83% |
| St Helens | North West | £525 | £648 | £123 | 81% |
| Basingstoke | South East | £950 | £1,072 | £122 | 88.6% |
| Bedford | East of England | £825 | £947 | £122 | 87.1% |
| High Weald | South East | £1,075 | £1,197 | £122 | 89.8% |
| Luton | East of England | £875 | £997 | £122 | 87.7% |
| Milton Keynes | South East | £925 | £1,047 | £122 | 88.3% |
| Oxford | South East | £1,125 | £1,247 | £122 | 90.2% |
| Southampton | South East | £875 | £997 | £122 | 87.7% |
| Guildford | South East | £1,225 | £1,346 | £121 | 91% |
| Salisbury | South West | £780 | £898 | £118 | 86.9% |
| South Cheshire | North West | £575 | £693 | £118 | 83% |
| West Cheshire | North West | £675 | £793 | £118 | 85.1% |
| Southend | East of England | £875 | £992 | £117 | 88.2% |
| Swindon | South West | £785 | £898 | £113 | 87.5% |
| Mid Staffs | West Midlands | £625 | £733 | £108 | 85.3% |
| Ipswich | East of England | £717 | £823 | £106 | 87.1% |
| Central Norfolk & Norwich | East of England | £695 | £798 | £103 | 87.1% |
| Derby | East Midlands | £595 | £698 | £103 | 85.2% |
| Dover-Shepway | South East | £695 | £798 | £103 | 87.1% |
| Exeter | South West | £795 | £898 | £103 | 88.6% |
| North Cheshire | North West | £590 | £693 | £103 | 85.1% |
| North Devon | South West | £645 | £748 | £103 | 86.2% |
| Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | £450 | £549 | £99 | 82% |
| Darlington | North East | £450 | £549 | £99 | 82% |
| Barrow-in-Furness | North West | £500 | £598 | £98 | 83.6% |
| Black Country | West Midlands | £625 | £723 | £98 | 86.4% |
| Chesterfield | East Midlands | £525 | £623 | £98 | 84.2% |
| East Lancs | North West | £475 | £573 | £98 | 82.8% |
| Herefordshire | West Midlands | £600 | £698 | £98 | 85.9% |
| Isle of Wight | South East | £650 | £748 | £98 | 86.9% |
| Kernow West | South West | £695 | £793 | £98 | 87.7% |
| Kings Lynn | East of England | £650 | £748 | £98 | 86.9% |
| Lancaster | North West | £575 | £673 | £98 | 85.4% |
| Northampton | East Midlands | £750 | £848 | £98 | 88.5% |
| Rugby & East | West Midlands | £725 | £823 | £98 | 88.1% |
| Staffordshire North | West Midlands | £480 | £578 | £98 | 83% |
| Sussex East | South East | £750 | £848 | £98 | 88.5% |
| Tyneside | North East | £550 | £648 | £98 | 84.8% |
| West Wiltshire | South West | £725 | £823 | £98 | 88.1% |
| Wigan | North West | £500 | £598 | £98 | 83.6% |
| Wirral | North West | £525 | £623 | £98 | 84.2% |
| Worcester South | West Midlands | £700 | £798 | £98 | 87.7% |
| York | Yorkshire and The Humber | £775 | £873 | £98 | 88.8% |
| Cherwell Valley | South East | £950 | £1,047 | £97 | 90.7% |
| Newbury | South East | £895 | £992 | £97 | 90.2% |
| Solihull | West Midlands | £825 | £922 | £97 | 89.4% |
| Warwickshire South | West Midlands | £850 | £947 | £97 | 89.7% |
| Worthing | South East | £950 | £1,047 | £97 | 90.7% |
| Brighton and Hove | South East | £1,200 | £1,296 | £96 | 92.6% |
| Oldham & Rochdale | North West | £578 | £673 | £96 | 85.8% |
| Cheltenham | South West | £800 | £893 | £93 | 89.6% |
| Eastern Staffordshire | West Midlands | £600 | £693 | £93 | 86.6% |
| Lincoln | East Midlands | £600 | £693 | £93 | 86.6% |
| Lowestoft & Great Yarmouth | East of England | £575 | £668 | £93 | 86.1% |
| Peterborough | East of England | £700 | £793 | £93 | 88.3% |
| West Pennine | North West | £450 | £539 | £89 | 83.6% |
| Kendal | North West | £650 | £738 | £88 | 88.1% |
| North Nottingham | East Midlands | £550 | £638 | £88 | 86.2% |
| North Cumbria | North West | £475 | £558 | £83 | 85.1% |
| Taunton & West Somerset | South West | £725 | £808 | £83 | 89.8% |
| Harrogate | Yorkshire and The Humber | £736 | £818 | £82 | 90% |
| Huntingdon | East of England | £795 | £873 | £78 | 91.1% |
| Shropshire | West Midlands | £595 | £673 | £78 | 88.4% |
| Wolds and Coast | East Midlands | £495 | £573 | £78 | 86.3% |
| Yeovil | South West | £695 | £773 | £78 | 89.9% |
| Canterbury | South East | £895 | £972 | £77 | 92% |
| Durham | North East | £400 | £474 | £74 | 84.4% |
| Sunderland | North East | £475 | £549 | £74 | 86.6% |
| Teesside | North East | £475 | £549 | £74 | 86.6% |
| West Cumbria | North West | £475 | £549 | £74 | 86.6% |
| Grantham & Newark | East Midlands | £575 | £648 | £73 | 88.7% |
| Halifax | Yorkshire and The Humber | £525 | £598 | £73 | 87.7% |
| Mid & West Dorset | South West | £750 | £823 | £73 | 91.2% |
| Plymouth | South West | £675 | £748 | £73 | 90.2% |
| Richmond & Hambleton | Yorkshire and The Humber | £550 | £623 | £73 | 88.2% |
| Rotherham | Yorkshire and The Humber | £500 | £573 | £73 | 87.2% |
| Scarborough | Yorkshire and The Humber | £550 | £623 | £73 | 88.2% |
| Worcester North | West Midlands | £650 | £723 | £73 | 89.9% |
| Eastbourne | South East | £900 | £972 | £72 | 92.6% |
| Northumberland | North East | £425 | £494 | £69 | 86.1% |
| Central Lancs | North West | £575 | £643 | £68 | 89.4% |
| Kirklees | Yorkshire and The Humber | £525 | £593 | £68 | 88.5% |
| Lincolnshire Fens | East Midlands | £625 | £693 | £68 | 90.2% |
| Bradford & South Dales | Yorkshire and The Humber | £525 | £588 | £63 | 89.2% |
| Doncaster | Yorkshire and The Humber | £500 | £563 | £63 | 88.7% |
| Fylde Coast | North West | £542 | £598 | £56 | 90.6% |
| Hull & East Riding | Yorkshire and The Humber | £475 | £529 | £54 | 89.9% |
| Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | £775 | £823 | £48 | 94.2% |
| Mendip | South West | £775 | £823 | £48 | 94.2% |
| Scunthorpe | Yorkshire and The Humber | £495 | £543 | £48 | 91.1% |
| South Devon | South West | £675 | £723 | £48 | 93.4% |
| Weston-S-Mare | South West | £750 | £798 | £48 | 94% |
| Peaks & Dales | East Midlands | £595 | £623 | £28 | 95.5% |
| Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | £595 | £623 | £28 | 95.5% |
| Grimsby | Yorkshire and The Humber | £480 | £499 | £19 | 96.3% |
| Mid & East Devon | South West | £685 | £698 | £13 | 98.1% |
Allowance: the Universal Credit monthly rate. 30th percentile rent: the weekly figure × 52 ÷ 12. "Capped": the allowance is held at the national maximum.
Questions
What is the Local Housing Allowance?
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) sets the most Housing Benefit, or the housing element of Universal Credit, that a private renter can get. It depends on the area, called a Broad Rental Market Area, and the number of bedrooms the household is allowed. LHA rates are decided by the Department for Work and Pensions using rents collected by the Valuation Office Agency.
Has the Local Housing Allowance been frozen?
Yes. The rates for April 2026 to March 2027 are the same rates that came into force on 1 April 2024. A 2026 order holds each area's allowance at the level set on 31 January 2024, so the Valuation Office's newer rent figures were not used.
What is the 30th percentile rent?
The rent below which 30% of the rents collected in an area fall. The Valuation Office collects rents being paid, new lets and renewals, in the 12 months to September 2025, and works out the 30th percentile for each area and size of home. This page compares the allowance with that figure.
Is it the same for housing benefit and Universal Credit?
Both use the same Local Housing Allowance. Universal Credit sets it as a monthly amount, which is what this page shows; housing benefit sets it weekly, which works out a few pounds a month lower, so the shortfall for housing benefit claimants is slightly bigger.
Why is Central London so far behind?
Local Housing Allowance has national maximum rates. The weekly cap is £412.86 for 2 bedrooms, so where local rents are far higher, as in Central London and Inner North London, the allowance stops at the cap.
Does this cover Wales and Scotland?
No. This page uses the rates for England. Rates for Wales and Scotland are published separately.
What does this mean for landlords?
Where the allowance falls short of the rent, tenants who rely on housing support have to make up the difference from other income. It is one reason landlords letting to tenants on benefits look closely at affordability and at cover for unpaid rent.
How the figures are worked out
- Allowance. The Universal Credit Local Housing Allowance monthly rate for each area and size of home for 2026 to 2027, which most private renters on housing support receive. Housing benefit uses the same rates set weekly (Table 4 of the official tables), which work out a few pounds a month lower.
- 30th percentile rent. Table 2 of the same tables: the 30th percentile of rents collected in the 12 months to September 2025, which the order freezing the rates set aside.
- Shortfall and share covered. The 30th percentile rent, converted from weekly to monthly by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12, minus the Universal Credit monthly rate, and the rate as a share of that rent.
- Typical. The median of England's 152 areas, so London's very large gaps do not dominate.
- Councils. Areas do not follow council boundaries. Each council's share in each area is worked out by sampling points across the council; shares are of land, not of people or homes.
Sources
- VOA and DWP, Local Housing Allowance rates applicable from April 2026 to March 2027
- DWP, Universal Credit Local Housing Allowance rates: 2026 to 2027
- The Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2026
- VOA, Broad Rental Market Area boundaries; ONS council boundaries, May 2024
For journalists
Using these figures
You are welcome to use any figure on this page: each finding has a ready-made citation, and each area has its own link and citation on its card. Please credit the Local Housing Allowance gap and link to it.
The figures and the download are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0: use them freely, with credit to Landlord Insurance UK.