Find out about Local Housing Allowance rates

If you are vulnerable, we will use our discretion to decide if we should pay the benefit to the landlord instead.

The following criteria will be considered when deciding who the benefit should be paid to:

• protection for you if you are vulnerable, providing reassurance that your rent will be paid
• to help prevent rent arrears and you being put at risk of eviction
• to reassure landlords that rent charged will be paid if they have vulnerable customers or are approached by vulnerable customers
• to help put you in touch with other agencies/support groups where they are given the support to manage their own affairs
• to ensure council officials make fair, responsible and consistent decisions
• to promote and publicise a clear process 
• to treat each case independently and on its own merits

What happens next?

You or your representative, will let us know if they would like their LHA to be paid to the landlord. The request must be supported by written information from a third party.

We will accept information from:

• social services
• the Department for Work and Pensions
• courts
• reputable financial institutions 
• support or advisory services
• doctors

Making a decision

The manager of the housing benefits service will make the decision on each case.

 In all cases one of two decisions will be made:

• you are vulnerable and payment of LHA will be made to the landlord, or
• you are not vulnerable and payment of LHA will be made to the customer

How we contact everyone about the decision 

You and/or your representative will be written to and advised of the following:

• the decision and reasons for it
• if and when the decision will be reviewed
• appeal rights
• advice agencies, voluntary or statutory organisations which will be able to help
• contact details for the Citizens Advice money advice service if they do not have a bank account

The landlord will also be written to and told:

• if the tenant has been found vulnerable and we will pay them, the landlord, LHA up to the contractual rent
• if and when the decision will be reviewed
• request bank details if not previously received
• if the tenant has been found not to be vulnerable, the landlord's appeal right against this decision