What are the LHA rates in Braintree?

Braintree is covered by 4 LHA areas. Chelmsford: shared £426.33, 1 bed £795.00, 2 bed £950.00, 3 bed £1,200.00, 4 bed £1,450.00 a month. Colchester: shared £401.33, 1 bed £625.00, 2 bed £795.00, 3 bed £975.00, 4 bed £1,250.00 a month. Bury St Edmunds: shared £451.33, 1 bed £630.00, 2 bed £775.00, 3 bed £955.00, 4 bed £1,300.00 a month. Cambridge: shared £526.33, 1 bed £900.00, 2 bed £950.00, 3 bed £1,125.00, 4 bed £1,450.00 a month.

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Braintree LHA rates 2026/27

England · rates from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 · last checked October 2026

Braintree is covered by 4 rental areas, so the rate depends on your postcode. Most of Braintree is in Chelmsford.

Chelmsford about 65% of Braintree postcodes

LHA rates, Chelmsford BRMA, 2026/27
Rate	Weekly	Monthly
Shared accommodationSingle people under 35, rooms in shared houses	£98.38	£426.33
1 bedroomSingle person 35+, or a couple	£183.46	£795.00
2 bedrooms	£219.23	£950.00
3 bedrooms	£276.92	£1,200.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£334.62	£1,450.00

Postcode districts: CM3 CM7 CM8 CM77

All Chelmsford rates and postcodes

Colchester about 28% of Braintree postcodes

LHA rates, Colchester BRMA, 2026/27
Rate	Weekly	Monthly
Shared accommodationSingle people under 35, rooms in shared houses	£92.61	£401.33
1 bedroomSingle person 35+, or a couple	£144.23	£625.00
2 bedrooms	£183.46	£795.00
3 bedrooms	£225.00	£975.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£288.46	£1,250.00

Postcode districts: CO5 CO6 CO8 CO9

All Colchester rates and postcodes

Bury St Edmunds about 4% of Braintree postcodes

LHA rates, Bury St Edmunds BRMA, 2026/27
Rate	Weekly	Monthly
Shared accommodationSingle people under 35, rooms in shared houses	£104.15	£451.33
1 bedroomSingle person 35+, or a couple	£145.38	£630.00
2 bedrooms	£178.85	£775.00
3 bedrooms	£220.38	£955.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£300.00	£1,300.00

Postcode districts: CO10

All Bury St Edmunds rates and postcodes

Cambridge about 3% of Braintree postcodes

LHA rates, Cambridge BRMA, 2026/27
Rate	Weekly	Monthly
Shared accommodationSingle people under 35, rooms in shared houses	£121.46	£526.33
1 bedroomSingle person 35+, or a couple	£207.69	£900.00
2 bedrooms	£219.23	£950.00
3 bedrooms	£259.62	£1,125.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£334.62	£1,450.00

Postcode districts: CB9

All Cambridge rates and postcodes

Postcode districts in Braintree

How the monthly rate is worked out

LHA rates are set as a weekly amount for each Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA). The monthly figure is the weekly rate × 52 ÷ 12, which is how Universal Credit works out housing costs. The 2026/27 rates are the same as the rates set in April 2024, so they have not changed since 2024/25.