# Analysis shows housing support rises do not boost costs after PM warned of ‘chasing rents’

By Manjinder Kaur Atwal — 2026-08-11

Manjinder Kaur Atwal, director of housing law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, said: “Freezing Local Housing Allowance while private rents continue to rise risks making the private rented sector increasingly inaccessible to low-income households.

“LHA is designed to help tenants meet the cost of renting in the lower-priced part of their local market. When rates fall behind actual rents, tenants have to find the shortfall from other income, often leaving them with little choice but to accept poorer accommodation, move further away or face homelessness.

“It is also too simplistic to suggest that increasing LHA will automatically drive rents higher. Rents are determined by a range of factors, including supply and demand, mortgage and other property costs, and regulation.

“The more immediate concern is that inadequate LHA can leave councils facing increased homelessness pressures and temporary accommodation costs. Updating support in line with local housing costs is therefore an important part of tackling affordability, even if it cannot by itself solve the underlying shortage of affordable homes.”

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