Fresh calls have been made for ministers to increase local housing allowance (LHA) after research revealed 85% of English councils are facing an increase in homelessness.
LHA, which eligible households receive as part of their housing benefit or Universal Credit if they have a private landlord, has been frozen for three years, with rents far outstripping the support available in many places.
The call to increase LHA came as research by the charity Crisis found 82% of local authorities viewed the refreezing of rates as ‘very challenging’ in the context of their efforts to prevent or alleviate homelessness.
Crisis’ report read: ‘The continued freeze of the LHA at April 2020 rates has reduced the support available to help with housing costs, with potentially just 8% of private properties now available to rent at LHA rates or below.’
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