By Robin Bowman

Local Housing Allowance is supposed make the housing benefit system work better.

It is a flat rate benefit for private tenants that's based on what the tenant and their family needs in terms of size of accommodation and it is calculated according to household size (i.e. the number of people in the family) and location.

Under the system the tenant can choose a home with a higher rent and make up the shortfall or pay a lower rent and keep the difference. According to the government, giving the tenant this choice encourages and engenders financial responsibility. However, many landlords are sceptical this will work in practice especially with the more vulnerable tenants.

It should be possible for a landlord to find out what the tenants are receiving because this depends on size of property (which is linked to size of family) and because average rent values for different sized properties in the local "Broad Rental Market Area" or BRMA are worked out by the Rent Service. You can easily find out the rent for any area by calling the Housing Department of your local authority.