Important: Changes to Local Housing Allowance

Wirral’s Housing Benefit Service is urging people who may be affected by national changes to Local Housing Allowance to contact them for help.

The changes may affect you if you rent your home from a private landlord, or are thinking of renting.

Significant changes include:

• The maximum Local Housing Allowance rate is now the 4 bedroom rate even if your family needs 5 bedrooms or more.
• Local Housing Allowance rates are lower and if you received help with your rent before April 2011 the lower rates will apply when your  transitional protection (given to existing customers) ends. For these existing customers, transitional protection will end  9 months after the anniversary date of your claim.
• If you received help with your rent before April 2011, are single, under 35 years and live in self contained accommodation, a Shared Accommodation Rate will apply when your transition protection ends . Transitional Protection will end  9 months after the anniversary date of your claim. The Shared Accommodation Rate for February 2012 is £63.50.
• If you are single, under 35 years, and change address, the Shared Accommodation Rate will apply immediately .

Please also note:

• If your landlord agrees to reduce the rent to the new Local Allowance Rate we may pay your Housing Benefit direct to them.
• If you can no longer afford to pay your rent and your landlord will not reduce it, you should apply for Discretionary Housing Payments.
• Exemptions from the Shared Accommodation Rate apply in certain circumstances.

For more information visit the Local Housing Allowance pages of the website, one of the Council’s One Stop Shops or ring Wirral Council Call Centre on 0151 606 2002 .