Local Housing Allowance rates

That this House notes with concern that across the country, fewer than 2% of advertised private rented homes are affordable based on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates; recognises that this has become significantly worse due the LHA freeze since April 2024 with research by Crisis and Zoopla suggesting that in 2021/22, 11.2% of listings for two-bed homes in England were affordable, compared to only 1.1% in 2025/26; expresses deep concern that LHA rates have remained frozen while rents have continued to rise, leaving many households unable to meet housing costs; further notes evidence from a coalition of homelessness, housing, health and advice organisations, including Citizens Advice, Crisis, Shelter, Centrepoint, St Mungo’s, Independent Age, Justlife, Shared Health and the National Residential Landlords Association, that the freeze is contributing to poverty, hardship and homelessness; understands that recent polling commissioned by Citizens Advice found that 48% of renters receiving Universal Credit have cut back on essentials such as food, energy and transport costs to cover housing expenses; and calls on the Government to restore Local Housing Allowance rates so that they once again cover at least the lowest 30% of local rents and to ensure that support keeps pace with changes in the rental market.