If you’re a private tenant who needs help with their rent, you might able to claim Housing Benefit.
If you’re eligible for this, we’ll use rates set by the Scottish Government to work out how much you’ll get. These are known as Local Housing Allowance rates.
When Local Housing Allowance rates apply
Local Housing Allowance rates apply when:
- you’re renting private accommodation and you want to make a claim for Housing Benefit
- you already get Housing Benefit and you move into private accommodation
They do not apply when:
- you rent your property from Stirling Council or a housing association
- you rent a caravan
- you live in a hotel or hostel
- your tenancy started before 1989
Current Local Housing Allowance rates
Local Housing Allowance rates for Scotland are set by Rent Service Scotland, which is part of the Scottish Government.
The current rates for Forth Valley, which includes the Stirling Council area, are as follows.
| Bedrooms | Weekly rate | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room | £95.51 | £413.88 |
| 1 bedroom | £105.86 | £458.73 |
| 2 bedrooms | £149.59 | £648.22 |
| 3 bedrooms | £184.11 | £797.81 |
| 4 bedrooms | £299.18 | £1296.45 |
How we calculate Housing Benefit for private tenants
Determining the Local Housing Allowance rate
We look at the number of bedrooms you’re entitled to, and work out the corresponding Local Housing Allowance rate.
The usual rules are that you’re entitled to 1 bedroom for:
- every adult couple
- any other adult aged 16 or over
- any 2 children of the same sex aged under 16
- any 2 children aged under 10
- any other child
There are also some specific rules that apply in certain cases. These are that:
- if you’re single and under 35, you're entitled to the shared-room rate
- if you’re over 35 and live in shared accommodation, you're entitled to the shared-room rate
- if you’re single, under 25 and severely disabled, you’re entitled to the 1-bedroom rate
Other factors
As well as working out the correct Local Housing Allowance rate, we also take into account your personal circumstances. This includes:
- what income and savings you have
- how much your rent is
- whether anyone living with you contributes to the rent
We use all of this information to make a decision about your Housing Benefit.
If you need help
Our Financial Services team can help if you’re:
- a private tenant who has questions about your eligibility
- a landlord who has questions about your responsibilities
You can:
- call us on 01786 233 210
- email us at finservices@stirling.gov.uk