A new online housing portal, Letshelpyou , focused on affordable housing in West Yorkshire has been commissioned by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP), to help both tenants and landlords with changes to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) coming into force in early 2012. Developed in conjunction with Kirklees, Wakefield, Calderdale, Bradford and Leeds City Councils, the service will be piloted across West Yorkshire followed by national roll out later next year.

The changes in LHA will affect thousands of people across the UK, whether they are tenants who need to find a new home due to LHA shortfalls or landlords who need to re-evaluate their rental incomes. This new website seeks to alleviate many of these problems by matching tenants to landlords based on available properties, and the new LHA levels, which can vary geographically.

The new website is the first to concentrate on the social and affordable end of the housing market and will be free for both tenants and landlords to use. Crucial to the site will be the LHA calculator that allows tenants to work out their housing allowance based on their circumstances and desired location, and gives landlords a tool to ensure their rental thresholds are met. Landlords will also benefit from a range of other property management tools to help run their businesses more efficiently.

Pamela Cunningham, a local landlord, who attended a recent landlords conference organised by Leeds City Council and the Residential Lettings Association, fully supports the new website concept saying:

"I've been a landlord for 20 years, and I have some tenants who are in receipt of housing benefit. The current letting system needs an overhaul to speed things up for both tenants and landlords. The new website is an answer to this as it will allow prospective tenants to match properties with their housing allowance allocation straight away, and landlords can fill property vacancies quickly. I shall certainly be using it when it becomes available."

The site will offer increased choice to both landlords and tenants and encourage a shift towards self service; removing the reliance on local authorities to find tenants or available properties, bringing a range of financial savings to the councils involved. In addition the cross-councils approach hopes to promote social migration, offer wider choice and reduce the time properties are left vacant.

Key to tenant engagement and success will be the range of devices and channels the service is available on. Looking Local has been commissioned to build the website, and having managed a multi-platform publishing solution for nearly ten years, will be looking to make the Letshelpyou service available on TV, mobiles, smartphones, games consoles and via social networks. Tenants will be able to access the property service through a variety of devices, following the launch of the website in January, to ensure the widest possible take up.

Julian Hobson, Project Executive, and responsible for Customer and Exchequer Services with Kirklees Council, explains the benefits of the new service saying:

"Many families across West Yorkshire will be reviewing their housing options in the coming year. This site creates new opportunities for prospective tenants to find a suitable home at the right price and a unique marketing opportunity for Landlords. By matching prospective tenants with suitable properties, landlords have greater assurance that the rent will be met and those tenancies will be more sustainable."

Further information for both landlords and tenants is available on 0113 815 2249. Landlords can also register their interest at Letshelpyou

Check out what The Guardian's Government Computing ebulletin had to say about the project here .