Council housing allocations policy

NOTE: The term 'household' means everyone who will live within the accommodation being applied for. Therefore single people are 'households'.

Band A - Applicants with an Urgent Need to Move

• Have been assessed as having Urgent Medical Priority or as having exceptional social circumstances that are seriously affected by current housing and would be helped with a change of housing. This includes applicants in immediate danger.
• A WHC tenant who needs to move because his/her home is about to be demolished or redeveloped or we need to change the use of your property (subject to time limit).
• A WHC or RP tenant of a Welwyn Hatfield property with three or more bedrooms who is under occupying the property and will be giving up two or more bedrooms by moving.
• A successor to a WHC tenancy who is required to move (subject to time limit) because the property is not suitable.
• Succession. This applies to where we require successors to WHC tenancies to move, and it is subject to a time limit. It also applies where there has been a previous succession but the Exceptional Circumstances Panel has agreed to make an offer of accommodation.
• Occupying a property subject to a compulsory purchase orderand/or WHC has a statutory duty to move them.
• Be statutorily overcrowded

Band B - Very High Need to Move

• A homeless household towards whom WHC has accepted a main duty, and who are either in temporary accommodation or have been registered as "homeless at home"
• A household that WHC has assessed as meeting the requirements of the main housing duty (to include separated families).
• A household who has been deemed to have very high social circumstances that are seriously affected by current housing and would be helped with a change of housing.
• A person or household that has a need to move from care or supported housing, and/or re-housing has been agreed by WHC under a special quota scheme (subject to a time limit)
• A tied tenant whom WHC has a contractual obligation to re-house when their employment ends.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) with a dependent child or children, occupying a flat above third floor or a bedsit.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to), occupying a property where three or more children have to share a bedroom.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) where 2 persons of opposite sex both have to share a bedroom, where at least one is over 10 years old .
• An ex WHC tenant whom the Council at the time the tenancy ended, agreed to re-house at a future date.
• Applicants who, by joining together to form a single household, will give vacant possession of two properties and/or a local RP property (that WHC nominates to).
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) who is under occupying the property and will be giving up one bedroom.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) who wishes to move from General Needs accommodation to Supported Housing for people over 60 and/or with support needs. This also includes council tenants whose home is due to be decommissioned.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) who is pregnant and occupying a flat above third floor or a bedsit.
• A WHC tenant living in an adapted property where those adaptations are no longer required but could be used by another resident with such a need.

NOTE: This band also recognises applicants with Composite Housing Need. This is a term given to applicants who have been assessed as either High Medical Priority or lacking two bedrooms (or more) plus at least one other factor from the list under Band 'C'.

Band C - High Need to Move

• Have been assessed as High Medical Priority. The applicant's current accommodation will be deemed as not appropriate for their medical needs.
• A household that lacks two bedrooms or more.
• A household who has been deemed to have high social circumstances that are affected by current housing and would be helped with a change of housing.
• A household with no security of tenure with dependent child (or children), which needs to share facilities within their accommodation.
• A household that has received a valid Notice to Quit from their current landlord to whom WHC would owe a main duty when homeless.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) who has held a tenancy in bedsit accommodation for at least one year and is seeking a one bedroom flat.
• A tenant of WHC or a local RP (that WHC nominates to) where a parent has to share a bedroom with a child.
• An applicant who has been verified as a Rough Sleeper by the Council's Outreach service.
• Applicants who are living in unaffordable accommodation, who do not have reasonable alternative options, and this has been verified by a Housing Options Officer or Manager within the Council.

Band D - Identified Housing Need

• A member of the household has been assessed as having a Recognised Medical Priority or unsatisfactory housing conditions, such as overcrowding by lacking one bedroom or lacking amenities unless the Council has assessed you have sufficient financial resources to resolve your own housing need.
• A homeless person or household that does not qualify for Band B. That is, a household towards whom WHC does not have a statutory housing duty under homelessness legislation.
• A household with no security of tenure without a dependent child (or children), which needs to share facilities within their accommodation.

Band E - Other Housing Requirements

• No Local Connection to the Borough exists and/or the applicant has no identified housing need (as defined in Bands A to D) but who are over the age of 60 and applying for sheltered accommodation.