Local Housing Allowance and Private Rents – 1 day
About this course:
This course covers the regulations and administrative best practice that affect housing benefit claims from those customers who are living in privately rented accommodation. This is especially useful as Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and Rent Allowance claims are always a difficult area of benefits law. And various changes have been made to the LHA provisions which staff should be aware of. The course is supported by group discussion, practical exercises at the end of each module and a desk aid.
Learning outcome:
At the end of this course delegates will understand how to process all types of private tenant claims. This course takes delegates through the different rent allowance schemes introduced from 1988 to date; referrals to the rent officer and rent officer decisions; maximum rent; ineligible and eligible service charges and payment of rent allowance, the introduction of LHA, standard local allowance, size criteria, broad rental market areas, etc. The course includes the various changes being made to LHA from 1/4/11 and also highlights future proposed changes over the coming years.
Suitable for:
- Benefit Assessors
- Customer service and call centre staff
- Housing officers
- Visiting officers
- Welfare rights officers
Content:
Rent allowance
- Liability to pay rent
- Eligible/ineligible services
- Maximum rent
- Rent restrictions
- Rent Officer determinations
- Payment on Account
- Verifying evidence of rent and tenancy agreements
- Changes of address/rent liability/rent frequency
Local Housing Allowance
- Who can get LHA?
- Standard Local Rates
- The size criteria
- Categories of dwellings
- Broad market rental areas
- Payment of LHA
- People likely to have difficulty managing their own financial affairs
- People unlikely to pay their rent
- The protection rules
For more information about our training services please call us on 0800 072 9844 or email us.