Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Main menu
Page menu
Home and community
Housing allocation - general information
Your local council can allocate accommodation to you through a secure tenancy using its council housing stock. Councils can also nominate someone to be an assured tenant of a housing association home.
Why do councils have housing allocation schemes?
A council must have an allocations scheme which sets out the priorities and procedures for allocating housing.
A council will:
- provide an application form to anyone who wishes to apply for housing
- assess whether someone who has made an application is eligible to be allocated social housing
- assess the housing needs of the applicant and their household
- prioritise each application according to the criteria set out in the allocation scheme
- tell each applicant what priority they have for housing
Information about the traditional allocation system
Under a traditional, generally points-based, allocation system, the council will assess an applicant's housing needs, determine their priority, and make an offer of appropriate accommodation to the household with the highest number of points.
Applicants may be allowed to express a preference for a type of property or an area or areas in which they would like to be housed and a council will generally try to take this into account in making an offer. Refusal to accept an offer of accommodation will often lead to a penalty, for example suspension from the waiting list for a period of time.
Hard to let/easy access properties
A home can be defined as "hard to let"
, when there has been three offers refused or if no suitable applicants are available in the local area. Your local authority will advertise hard to let properties actively seeking someone to live in them. Priority will be given to applicants already on the housing register.
You can approach your council housing office and ask them about their allocation policy and procedures.
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.
Prioritisation
The fact that a person is eligible does not guarantee that they will be allocated accommodation. An applicant's priority is determined by the allocation scheme, and the demand/availability of social housing in the district.
As regards priorities, an allocation scheme must give "reasonable preference"
to certain categories of persons. These are:
- people who are homeless
- people living in insanitary, overcrowded or unsatisfactory housing
- people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds
- people who need to move to a particular locality in the district of the authority, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship to themselves or to others
The scheme may give additional preference to people in the above categories who are considered to have more urgent housing needs.
Points systems and banding schemes
Many councils have developed complex points-based systems to determine the level of an applicant's housing need, and will normally allocate available housing to the person on the register who has the highest number of points.
However, some councils use simplified "banding"
schemes. Under such a system applicants are grouped into "bands"
reflecting different levels of housing need, with prioritisation of applicants within these groups usually being determined by waiting time.
As a general rule, the number of bands in the system will depend on the demand for housing in the area and the allocation schemes system of prioritising applicants.
Choice-based lettings
Some councils are now operating choice-based lettings schemes (CBL). CBL schemes allow people to apply for available council / registered social landlord accommodation which is openly advertised, for example in local press or via a website.
Applicants can see the full range of available properties and apply for any home to which they are matched. The successful bidder is the one with the highest priority under the scheme. Councils provide feedback which helps applicants assess their chances of success in future.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has set a target for all councils to adopt a choice-based lettings scheme by 2010.
How do I apply?
Procedures will vary from one area to another, but all councils have to follow certain rules. Every application will be considered, as long as you have followed the application procedure correctly.
You will need to fill out an application form. You can either contact the council by telephone or download an application form from their website - if they offer this service.
If you have difficulty with your application you can ask the council for assistance, for example, if English is your second language.
All councils produce a leaflet explaining how their housing allocation works and how you can apply.
Additional links
Access keys
