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How Social Housing is allocated

Access to good-quality housing improves lives and is a foundation of strong communities. Social landlords are the bodies that own and manage social housing. They tend to be non-commercial organisations such as local authorities (councils) or housing associations.

House in hand

The 1996 Housing Act (as amended by the 2002 Homelessness Act) requires local authorities to make all allocations and nominations in accordance with an Allocations Scheme.  Local authorities are free to set their own housing allocation policy as long as it conforms to certain legal guidelines. By law, local authorities must clearly set out the procedures and priorities used to allocate their social housing and ensure that information on these policies is made publicly available. Under any allocation scheme the following groups are given 'reasonable preference':

  • people who are legally classed as homeless (or threatened with homelessness): the law classes a person as homeless when they have no home that is available and reasonable to occupy,
  • people occupying unsanitary, overcrowded or otherwise unsatisfactory housing,
  • people who need to move for medical or welfare reasons,
  • people who need to move to a particular location: for example, to be nearer to special training opportunities or special medical facilities and who would suffer hardship if they were unable to do so.

From November 2012, additional preference is to be given to a person who falls within the reasonable preference categories, has an 'urgent housing need' and who: 

  • is serving in the regular forces and suffering from a serious injury, illness or disability which is attributable (wholly or partly) to her/his service,
  • formerly served in the regular forces and has recently left, or will cease to be entitled to live in, accommodation provided by the Ministry of Defence following the death of a spouse or civil partner who served in the regular forces and whose death was attributable (wholly or partly) to that service; or
  • is serving or has served in the reserve forces and is suffering from a serious injury, illness or disability, attributable (wholly or partly) to her/his service.

Housing associations may operate their own waiting lists and lettings policies, although they are expected to make a proportion of their lettings available to applicants approved by local authorities.

Craven's Housing Allocations Policy

In 2009, Craven District Council's Policy Committee resolved that Craven should "join and participate in the North Yorkshire Choice Based Lettings Scheme", which has changed how properties are allocated in Craven.  The new scheme, known as North Yorkshire HomeChoice, went live in July 2011.  Social housing in Craven is now allocated under the new pdf icon North Yorkshire Housing Allocation Policy 1211 [1Mb]  This policy is designed to make the allocation of social housing dwellings as fair as possible and to offer a choice of housing options to the widest number of applicants.   It determines what level of priority you will be given when you apply, or if your circumstances change.

Appealing against the banding decision
If an applicant disagrees with their banding decision, they should contact the Council's Housing Options team (see contact details above). They should detail why they disagree with the decision and give any additional information that supports their case. It is useful to provide the names and contact numbers of any professional people, for example social workers, who would be able to support the case.

For further information on the North Yorkshire HomeChoice choice based lettings scheme and to register for housing, see Apply for Social Housing