How we pay LHA
We usually pay you not your landlord. You cannot choose to have your rent paid direct to your landlord for convenience.
We can only pay your LHA into your bank account. We can’t pay into a post-office card account.
We pay every four weeks or every two weeks at the end of the period they are for (in arrears).
We may decide to pay your landlord if:
- You don't use your LHA to pay your rent.
- You have rent arrears of eight weeks or more or a history of rent arrears.
- You find it difficult to manage finances due to debt problems, learning difficulties, ill health, because you have just left care or because you can’t open a bank account
- Your landlord reduces your rent to an amount that you can afford to keep your tenancy; or helps you to get a new cheaper tenancy.
If you, your landlord or somebody acting for you, tell us that any of these apply to you we can pay your landlord. We will ask for written evidence to support this. Email benefit.enquiries@manchester.gov.uk and we will send you a form or letter to fill in to ask for payment to your landlord.
If someone acting for you fills in the form, you must sign the form as well.
If you can, you should send any evidence we ask for when you return the form.
Read our full LHA safeguards policy for vulnerable tenants.