Evaluation

Two year review

DWP introduced Local Housing Allowance (LHA) arrangements nationally on 7 April 2008. The LHA arrangements are a way of working out Housing Benefit (HB) for people who rent from a private landlord.

Following this, the Government committed to carrying out a two year review of the LHA arrangements to assess its impact on tenants, landlords and other external organisations. The review assesses the impact of the LHA arrangements at a national level against the original policy objectives of:

• fairness
• choice
• transparency
• personal responsibility
• improved administration and thus reduced barriers to work

We have taken the evidence for the review largely from internal Department for Work and Pensions sources. We supplemented this with a small amount of specially commissioned research, largely qualitative in nature, as well as engagement with stakeholders.

• Two Year Review of the Local Housing Allowance (951KB)

Local Housing Allowance Pathfinders

Before the national implementation of the LHA arrangements, we trialled a Pathfinder scheme in a number of local authorities.

• Evaluation of the Local Housing Allowance Pathfinders