RAF Lakenheath & RAF Mildenhall OHA, COLA & PCS Housing Guide

How overseas housing allowances work

Which allowance applies depends on your situation. Eligible members renting privately at an overseas station generally receive the Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) for their housing there, plus an overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA). Your orders, whether you're assigned government housing, and where your dependents live determine which housing allowances apply — for example, members serving unaccompanied may receive a housing allowance based on their dependents' location. Your finance office and orders are the authority for your case.

• Rent is reimbursed up to a ceiling. The rent portion of OHA covers what you actually pay, up to a ceiling set by pay grade, dependency status, and locality (GB352 for RAF Lakenheath & RAF Mildenhall). If your rent is below the ceiling, the rent portion pays your actual rent — unlike BAH, there's no rent difference to keep.

• Utilities and maintenance are a separate piece. OHA includes a separate monthly utility/recurring maintenance allowance that is not tied to your rent amount.

• A one-time move-in allowance may apply. The Move-In Housing Allowance (MIHA) can help with certain one-time costs of occupying a private rental overseas.

• Government housing changes the picture. Members assigned government or on-base housing generally don't receive OHA for that housing.

• Amounts move with exchange rates. DTMO reviews exchange rates twice a month, so OHA and OCONUS COLA amounts can change between paychecks. That's why this page links to official lookups instead of listing rates.

• OCONUS COLA covers non-housing costs. It helps offset higher prices for everyday goods and services and varies by location, pay grade, years of service, and dependents.

• Tax treatment. OHA and OCONUS COLA are excluded from federal taxable income.

Official lookups

Your LES in myPay shows what you're actually receiving.

Source: DTMO OHA program page; DTMO OCONUS COLA program page; DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 26 (Housing Allowances); DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 68 (Cost of Living Allowance Outside the Continental United States).

Quick facts

Location

Suffolk, England, United Kingdom source

Branches

Air Force source

OHA locality code

GB352 source

COLA locality

United Kingdom – Lakenheath/Mildenhall (Honington, Wattisham, Marham), GB352 source

Living near RAF Lakenheath & RAF Mildenhall

RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk share one military housing office, located at RAF Lakenheath. Homes near the bases are primarily detached, semi-detached, or terraced houses, and the housing office has a team for off-base rental questions. source

• Tri-Base housing office (Military OneSource)
• Military OneSource — RAF Lakenheath
• Military OneSource — RAF Mildenhall

Questions to ask before you sign a lease

• Has the housing office inspected and approved the home, and reviewed the lease, before you sign? source

• Have you registered your council tax exemption with the local council? Off-base residents in the UK generally need to file for the visiting-forces exemption, and council mail is worth opening even when it's addressed to "the occupant." source

• What type of heating does the home use, and how are heating fuel and other utilities billed? source

• Does a UK TV licence apply to how your household will watch TV? Ask the housing office if you're unsure. source

What doesn't change overseas

• Basic pay and BAS follow the same tables as stateside.

• State income tax obligations follow your state of legal residence, not your duty station.

Other overseas stations