Suffolk and Norfolk, United Kingdom
RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall
Updated
This is a personal guide. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense, any U.S. military service, or any base office. Allowances change often (sometimes twice a month). Always confirm with your base housing office and finance before you sign anything.
Allowances and rates
Last checked:
These are the allowances and rates used on this page. Rows marked Needs verification are missing, unofficial, or marked check current rate. Do not treat them as a guaranteed payment.
- Needs verification — confirm it before you rely on it.
- Source cited — the article names a source. The figure can still change.
| Item | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (E-1 to E-4) pcscalculator.net (not the official DTMO site) — Locality GB352. DTMO table republished there, dated 16 July 2026. | £1,389 (~$1,919) | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (E-5) pcscalculator.net (not the official DTMO site) — Locality GB352. DTMO table republished there, dated 16 July 2026. | £1,685 (~$2,328) | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (E-6 to E-9) DTMO OHA calculator — No ceiling for these pay grades is in the cited July 2026 table. | No verified figure | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (W-1 to W-5) DTMO OHA calculator — No ceiling for these pay grades is in the cited July 2026 table. | No verified figure | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (O-1 to O-3) DTMO OHA calculator — No ceiling for these pay grades is in the cited July 2026 table. | No verified figure | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (O-4 to O-6) DTMO OHA calculator — No ceiling for these pay grades is in the cited July 2026 table. | No verified figure | Needs verification |
| OHA rent ceiling, with dependents (O-7 and above) DTMO OHA calculator — No ceiling for these pay grades is in the cited July 2026 table. | No verified figure | Needs verification |
| Utility / recurring maintenance allowance, with dependents pcscalculator.net (not the official DTMO site) — Same republished table, dated 16 July 2026. Flat payment if you pay your own utilities. | £831/month (~$1,148) | Needs verification |
| COLA DTMO COLA calculator — Depends on rank, years of service, dependents, and location. No amount is printed here because it changes with the exchange rate. | Use the calculator | Needs verification |
| Typical gas and electric (Direct Debit) Ofgem — Price cap for 1 October–31 December 2026. A family of four may use more. Unit rates are in the energy section. | £144/month (£1,723/year) | Source cited |
| TV licence GOV.UK — From April 2026. Needed for live UK TV or BBC iPlayer. Ask base legal about exemption or reimbursement. | £15/month (£180/year) | Source cited |
| Unleaded fuel, UK average findpetrol UK Fuel Price Index — October 2026, month in progress. Roughly £6.60 per US gallon. Weekly official figures are on GOV.UK. | 174.3p/litre | Source cited |
| Diesel, UK average findpetrol UK Fuel Price Index — October 2026, month in progress. | 199.5p/litre | Source cited |
When we got orders to England, every search turned up either glossy "welcome to the UK!" pages or forum posts from 2014. What we wanted was simple: how much comes in, how much goes out, and what's left over. So here it is, with a source for every number.
1. Housing: OHA (not BAH)
Overseas you get Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) instead of BAH. The big difference: OHA reimburses your actual rent up to a cap. If your rent is under the cap, you don't keep the difference (DTMO).
Lakenheath/Mildenhall rent ceilings (locality GB352), with dependents, 2026:
| Pay grade | Monthly rent ceiling |
|---|---|
| E-1 to E-4 | £1,389 (~$1,919) |
| E-5 | £1,685 (~$2,328) |
Needs verification. Source: DTMO table as republished by pcscalculator.net (table dated 16 July 2026). Check current rate on the official DTMO OHA calculator — rates move with the exchange rate.
Utility/recurring maintenance allowance: £831/month (~$1,148) for members with dependents who pay their own utilities (same source; check current rate). Unlike the rent part, this is a flat payment, so if your bills come in lower, you keep the difference (DTMO). There's also a one-time Move-In Housing Allowance (MIHA) for setup costs.
Tip: OHA is set by where you live, not where you work. Your housing office confirms the locality code on your lease.
2. What rent actually looks like
Official averages (all property sizes) from the Office for National Statistics, August 2026:
| Area | Towns | Avg. monthly rent |
|---|---|---|
| West Suffolk | Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Brandon, Bury St Edmunds | £1,183 (ONS) |
| Breckland (Norfolk) | Thetford | £928 (ONS) |
These are averages across all sizes. A 3-bed family home usually costs more than the average, and Bury St Edmunds tends to run pricier than Brandon or Thetford. Check current listings for a 3-bed in your town before assuming you'll be under the cap.
Our take: For E-1 to E-4, a £1,389 cap is workable in Thetford or Brandon. In Bury, you may have to look harder or pay a little out of pocket.
3. Energy (electricity & gas)
UK energy prices are capped by the regulator, Ofgem. For 1 October – 31 December 2026:
- Typical household (gas + electric, Direct Debit): £1,723/year ≈ £144/month
- Electricity: 26.32p/kWh + 54.83p/day standing charge
- Gas: 7.97p/kWh + 29.68p/day standing charge
- No VAT on electricity from 1 Oct 2026 to 31 Mar 2027
Source: Ofgem. The cap changes every 3 months. A family of four in an older, drafty house will likely use more than "typical," especially in winter. Pay by Direct Debit; it's cheaper.
4. Council tax: you're (usually) exempt
US service members on orders are exempt from council tax under the visiting forces exemption, and the exemption covers people living with you (RAF Lakenheath legal office article; Anglia Revenues).
But you have to apply. File the exemption with your local council when you move in, and open every letter from the council, even ones addressed to "The Occupier." People ignore them and end up with bills and court summonses.
5. TV licence
A UK TV licence costs £180/year (≈ £15/month) from April 2026 (GOV.UK). You need one to watch live UK TV or use BBC iPlayer. Whether you're exempt or reimbursed as a US member depends on your situation, so ask your base legal office before you buy one or ignore the letters.
6. Phone & internet
- Home broadband: check current rate. Prices vary a lot by street (fibre availability), and many deals are 18–24-month contracts. Ask about a military clause or a cancellation fee for when you PCS.
- Mobile: UK SIM-only plans are generally cheaper than US plans. Check current rates with UK carriers. Some people keep a US number on a cheap plan for bank texts.
7. Car: buying, insurance, fuel
- Buying: Most families buy a used UK car from departing members (base Facebook groups and the lemon lot) or from UK dealers. Remember you'll be driving on the left with a manual transmission unless you pay extra for an automatic.
- Insurance: Several US-friendly insurers serve UK bases, and some will consider your US driving history. Check current rates and providers at your base. We're not naming prices because quotes vary hugely by age, car, and record, and young drivers pay a lot more.
- Fuel: The UK average in October 2026 is 174.3p/litre for unleaded and 199.5p/litre for diesel (findpetrol UK Fuel Price Index, month in progress). That's roughly £6.60 per US gallon for unleaded. Official weekly figures: GOV.UK. Ask on base about any fuel ration/discount programs (check current rules).
8. COLA
Overseas members get a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) on top of base pay. It's non-taxable and depends on rank, years of service, number of dependents, and location. Check current rate on the DTMO COLA calculator. We're not printing a number because it changes with the exchange rate.
Needs verification. No COLA amount is printed on this page. Use the calculator above. The rate changes with the exchange rate.
Sample monthly budget (family of 4, renting off base)
This is an example, not a promise. Swap in your own numbers.
| Item | Monthly | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | £1,250 | Example; reimbursed by OHA up to your cap (£1,389 for E-1–E-4) |
| OHA rent reimbursement | –£1,250 | Actual rent, up to the ceiling |
| Utility allowance (income) | +£831 | Flat; check current rate |
| Gas + electric | £144+ | Ofgem typical; families often higher |
| Water | check current rate | Anglian Water area |
| Council tax | £0 | If exemption is filed |
| TV licence | £15 | Only if required; ask legal |
| Broadband | check current rate | |
| Mobile (x2) | check current rate | |
| Fuel | ~£100+ | e.g. ~57 L at 174.3p; depends on commute |
| Car insurance | check current rate | Varies hugely |
| Groceries | check current rate | Commissary vs. Tesco/Aldi |
What we learned: The rent side is mostly a wash if you stay under the cap. The utility allowance is where you can come out ahead or behind, so pick an energy-efficient house (ask to see the EPC rating) and get bills on Direct Debit.
Quick checklist before you sign a lease
- Look up your exact OHA ceiling on DTMO today.
- Ask the housing office to confirm the locality code.
- Ask the landlord for the home's EPC energy rating.
- File your council tax exemption the week you move in.
- Get car insurance quotes before you buy the car.
More UK pages
- RAF Croughton and RAF Fairford. Neither page prints an OHA ceiling.
- OHA in the UK for the rent, utility, and move-in rules.
- PCS to the UK checklist for passports, pets, driving, schools, and shipping.
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