Overseas housing allowance rates change

Published Jan. 23, 2008
By Staff Sgt. Vanessa Young
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

RAF LAKENHEATH, England -- Effective Jan. 1, the utility allowance increased and the move-in housing allowance decreased for all locations in the U.K.

The utilities allowance for servicemembers in the U.K. increased to $766.02 and the MIHA decreased to $503.20. The changes in these allowances are a result of a survey conducted by the Per Diem committee.

"Every year the Per Diem committee conducts a survey to find out how much military members spent in the previous year for utilities including electricity, heating fuel, water, trash removal and sewer fees," said Master Sgt. Thomas R. Karrick, 48th Comptrollers Squadron U.K. allowance coordinator. "The data from this survey is used to determine the utility allowance, which is part of the overseas housing allowance."

Sixty-nine percent of eligible servicemembers living in the U.K. submitted the utility portion of the survey. The 2008 OHA Survey is scheduled to start in April and will be for utilities only.

According to Sergeant Karrick, MIHA miscellaneous is a fixed-rate, lump-sum payment that reflects average expenditures to make dwellings habitable, such as supplemental heating equipment or wardrobes. This is paid on the initial move in to off-base privately leased housing.

The new allowances reflected in Airmen's Jan. 15 paycheck.

For more information on OHA, contact 48th CPTS customer service at 226-5785.