Council housing allocations policy

In order to help those in most need the Council has designed a 'banding' system. All applications are put into one of four bands (A to D) based on an assessment of their housing need.

Applicants in Band A will have the highest priority, with applicants in Band D having the lowest priority.

Band E is reserved for those with no local connection or recognised housing need who are over the age of 60 and are applying for sheltered accommodation.

Applicants are then further prioritised according to the date (their "priority date") that they applied. This means that, within each band, preference will be given to applicants that have been registered for the longest period of time in that band.

Special arrangements for those in the Armed forces

If an applicant who is in Band A or B and is in one of the categories listed below, extra priority will be given, by giving a date in band on the date in which they (or their spouse/civil partner) entered the regular forces:

• Persons who are serving in the regular forces or have done so in the five years preceding their application to join the HNR;
• Bereaved spouses or civil partners of those serving in the regular forces where their spouse or partner's death is attributable (wholly or partly) to their service and the bereaved spouse or civil partner's entitlement to reside in Ministry of Defence accommodation then ceases;
• Seriously injured, ill or disabled reservists (or former reservists) whose injury, illness or disability is attributable wholly or partly to their service.
• Applicants who are given notice to leave the Armed Forces (and their accommodation) are accepted onto the HNR with their date in Band being the date they received their notice.

Moving between bands

If an applicant moves from a lower to a higher band at any stage, their "priority" date becomes the date that they entered the higher band. For example, an applicant who becomes homeless may move from Band C to Band B but their "priority" date will be the date that they entered Band B.

If a household moves to a lower band, they keep their original 'priority' date.

The Exceptional Circumstances Panel may also determine priority bands in accordance with its delegated powers.

The bands are designed to reflect the following factors:

1. To give reasonable preference to applicants demonstrating the greatest housing need.
2. To give extra preference to people who do not own or who have not owned a home(unless you are a home owner who can show financial hardship).
3. To give extra preference to people who do not have enough financial resource to meet their own housing cost.