Revealed: the ten areas with no affordable properties for renters on housing benefit

New research from Crisis reveals the ten affordable housing deserts in Great Britain, where not a single property listed in the last year is affordable for people in receipt of Local Housing Allowance (LHA), sometimes known as housing benefit. 

LHA is intended to cover the bottom third of private rents, but the homelessness charity’s analysis shows there’s not a single local authority across England, Wales and Scotland where at least a third of newly listed properties for rent in the past year are affordable. 

Analysis by Crisis of data from the charity's partner Zoopla shows that in ten areas there wasn't a single newly listed property which a person on housing benefit could afford. They are: Brentwood, Dartford, Melton Mowbray, Merthyr Tydfil, Renfrewshire, Ribble Valley, South Hams, Staffordshire Moorlands, Warrington and Wrexham. 

In a further two local authority areas – the City of London and Newcastle-under-Lyme – just 0.1% of properties newly listed are considered affordable.  

The analysis of 817,423 properties of one, two and three-bedroom properties newly listed on Zoopla in 2025-26 finds that in 141 local authorities, 1% of properties or less are considered affordable, and in 217 local authorities the figure is 2% or less.  

Housing benefit is a vital lifeline for millions of people, supporting low-income households to access the private rental sector, and preventing homelessness. But since 2012, LHA rates have been subject to cuts and frozen for long periods by successive governments – most recently in 2024, creating a real term cuts for low-income households and, at its most severe, pushing people into homelessness.  

Recent analysis by the Resolution Foundation* shows concerns of bringing LHA back in line with the bottom third of private rents being passed onto landlords are over estimated and any increase would mainly benefit low-income tenants who are already being hit hardest by the housing crisis.  

Crisis is calling on the UK government to make private renting more affordable by unfreezing housing benefit to cover the real cost of rent. With the current UK government committed to ending rough sleeping and building more social homes in England, the charity says unfreezing housing benefit at the Autumn Budget will prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.  

With the UK government recently announcing that its ‘Everyone In’ policy to give all people in England sleeping rough a route off the streets by Christmas will now be a permanent policy, Crisis argues that increasing the rate of LHA is an important step towards improving the availability of affordable move-on options for the people this initiative supports. 

Mum-of-one Faye (not her real name), from Melton Mowbray, one of the least affordable areas in the country for people in receipt of housing benefit, says there’s a “huge discrepancy” between LHA rates and actual rent costs locally, which are making it difficult for her to save for a deposit for a property to buy. The senior teaching assistant for children with special educational needs and disabilities has been renting from a friend since 2009, but soon the property will be sold. She says: 

“I am of course planning to try to save a deposit, but because rent is so high, it is prohibitive. I’ve been living here for 16 years and do not want to move – it is my home and I have excellent bonds with my neighbours.  

“I work full-time and claim Universal Credit as I am a single parent. I am surprised that Melton is one of the worst areas in the country for affordable homes – I was aware of the huge discrepancy between LHA and actual rental costs, but I didn’t realise it differed between areas. LHA should take into account and meet actual market rental costs.” 

Holly Irvine, the Assistant Manager at a Trussell Foodbank in Renfrewshire, shared that she hears “every week” from people who are struggling to afford food because of the high cost of rent and other essentials. The area she works in had no properties advertised for rent in the past year that would be affordable for someone receiving housing benefit. 

She said: “The shortfall between housing support and private rents is putting people under enormous financial pressure, with knock-on effects on their mental health and overall wellbeing. Everyone should be able to afford a roof over their head without having to worry about whether they can afford to eat.” 

Matt Downie, Chief Executive at Crisis, said: 

“Home is more than a roof over our heads. It’s a place to belong, dream and hope. But a lack of genuinely affordable homes, rising rents and living costs mean that thousands of people are waiting for the security of a settled home.  

“Homelessness causes untold misery to the thousands bedding down on the streets, in unsuitable temporary accommodation and hidden homeless in vehicles and friend’s sofas. What we’re facing isn’t inevitable. It’s the result of a system that isn’t working properly – and it’s within our power to change it. 

“Ending homelessness is not a pipe dream. Preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place, by uprating housing benefit to cover the cheapest third of rents, is key. We hope, with a new Prime Minister who understands that home is the foundation of everything, that now can be a turning point, and the government will seize the opportunity presented at the Autumn Budget to make renting more affordable.”  

You can find out more about Crisis’ Home Can’t Wait Campaign – and join the campaign to make homes affordable – here: https://www.crisis.org.uk/get-involved/campaign/home-cant-wait. 

 

-Ends- 

 

Notes to Editor 

*The Resolution Foundation’s Saving Private Renters report can be read here. 

Zoopla data 

Analysis of Zoopla listings and LHA rate affordability Zoopla listings data was used for one to three bedroom properties in England, Scotland and Wales listed on Zoopla between the 1st April 2025 and 31st March 2026. This set includes 817,423 listings. 

About Crisis   

Crisis is the national charity for people facing homelessness across Wales, Scotland and England. We know that homelessness is not inevitable, and we know that together, we can end it. 

We provide services directly to people experiencing homelessness, carry out research into the causes and consequences of homelessness, and campaign for the changes needed to end it. 

You can contact the Crisis media team on 020 7426 3880, media@crisis.org.uk, or 07973 372587 (out of hours)