What are the LHA rates in New Forest?

New Forest is covered by 3 LHA areas. Southampton: shared £425.00, 1 bed £700.00, 2 bed £875.00, 3 bed £1,075.00, 4 bed £1,450.00 a month. Bournemouth: shared £426.33, 1 bed £695.00, 2 bed £875.00, 3 bed £1,150.00, 4 bed £1,550.00 a month. Salisbury: shared £426.33, 1 bed £650.00, 2 bed £780.00, 3 bed £915.00, 4 bed £1,250.00 a month.

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New Forest LHA rates 2026/27

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

New Forest is covered by 3 rental areas, so the rate depends on your postcode. Most of New Forest is in Southampton.

Southampton about 63% of New Forest postcodes

LHA rates, Southampton BRMA, 2026/27
Rate	Weekly	Monthly
Shared accommodationSingle people under 35, rooms in shared houses	£98.08	£425.00
1 bedroomSingle person 35+, or a couple	£161.54	£700.00
2 bedrooms	£201.92	£875.00
3 bedrooms	£248.08	£1,075.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£334.62	£1,450.00

Postcode districts: SO40 SO41 SO42 SO43 SO45 SO51

All Southampton rates and postcodes

Bournemouth about 27% of New Forest postcodes

LHA rates, Bournemouth 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	£160.38	£695.00
2 bedrooms	£201.92	£875.00
3 bedrooms	£265.38	£1,150.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£357.69	£1,550.00

Postcode districts: BH23 BH24 BH25

All Bournemouth rates and postcodes

Salisbury about 10% of New Forest postcodes

LHA rates, Salisbury 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	£150.00	£650.00
2 bedrooms	£180.00	£780.00
3 bedrooms	£211.15	£915.00
4 bedroomsMaximum LHA pays for	£288.46	£1,250.00

Postcode districts: SP6

All Salisbury rates and postcodes

Postcode districts in New Forest

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.