Aims and Priorities
Maidstone Borough Council’s Allocation
Scheme has been designed to ensure that access to subsidised housing supports
the needs of residents, the corporate aims of the Council, as well as reflect
current legislation. The Council’s vision is for our residents to live in
decent homes, enjoy good health and well-being and for a pleasant environment
with a successful economy. There is an extremely limited supply of subsidised housing
within Maidstone and this scheme is designed to work with our housing providers
to make best use of the stock available and promote Maidstone as an attractive place
to live.
Maidstone Borough Council’s Allocation
Scheme is designed to treat all applicants for subsidised housing in a fair and
equitable manner. The Allocation Scheme is designed to offer applicants some
choice in their accommodation and ability to express preference on their
accommodation type and location. This individual choice and preference must be
balanced with the needs of all applicants and the need for the Council to offer
best value through its housing services. Applicants should be aware that the
housing stock in Maidstone is limited and that they may be moved to a more
suitable property faster if they are more flexible in the type or location of
the property that they require.
The
Council awards additional priority to applicants in work or who assist their
local community in other ways, such as serving in the Armed Forces or
undertaking voluntary work. The scheme is also designed to support the
Council’s objectives of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2019-2024
and of the Strategic Plan 2019-2045 in preventing both homelessness and rough
sleeping.
1.1
The following are examples of lettings not covered by, or
specifically excluded from the Allocation Scheme, under the provision of the
Housing Act 1996:
·
Offers
of non-secure tenancies to homeless households pursuant to any duty under Part
7 of the Housing Act 1996;
·
The
conversion of introductory tenancies into secure tenancies or their Housing
Association equivalent;
·
Offers
of tied accommodation made to Council employees;
·
Offers
or nominations of accommodation made at the Council’s own instigation for
example offers to tenants being moved from their homes to allow major works to
take place;
·
Transfer
of tenancies made by a Court Order under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 or
other family legislation;
·
Granting
or disposal of tenancies by order of a Court.
2.1
Maidstone Borough Council keeps a Housing Register of people who
want to be considered for subsidised housing. The Council’s Allocation Scheme
operates in accordance with the statutory provisions contained in the Housing
Act 1996 (as amended).
2.2
The Housing Act 1996 (as amended) requires all Local Authorities
to introduce a lettings scheme to reflect the priorities defined by the Act,
and to give reasonable preference to:
·
People
who are homeless (within the meaning of Part 7 of the 1996 Act (amended 2002);
·
People
who are owed duties by any Local Authority under Section 190(2), 193(2),195(2)
of the 1996 Act (or under section 65(2) or 68(2) of the Housing Act 1985) or
who are occupying accommodation secured by any housing authority under section
192(3), as repealed by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 but not amended
within the Housing Act 1996;
·
People
occupying unsanitary housing or who are overcrowded or living in unsatisfactory
housing conditions;
·
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);
·
People
who need to move on medical or welfare grounds including grounds relating to
disability.
3.1
Certain persons subject to immigration control are not eligible
for the allocation of housing under s160ZA (1) (a), (3) and (5) under the Housing
Act 1996 (as amended). This includes:
·
Over-stayers
and visitors to the country
·
Illegal
entrants
·
Asylum
Seekers
·
People
in the country on condition that they have no recourse to public funds
·
“Persons
from abroad” who fail the habitual residence test
·
“Persons
from abroad” who are in breach of the European Community Right of Residence
directive
·
“Persons
from abroad” who have been the subject of a sponsorship agreement for less than
5 years and whose sponsors are still alive.
3.2
The above list provides examples. It should be noted that the
statutory framework for eligibility is subject to alteration by the Secretary
of State.
3.3
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision by writing to the Senior Homechoice Officer (see Appendix B).
4.1
The Council has given due regard to the Equality Act 2010, particularly;
·
Part 2
- Chapter 1, Protected Characteristics and Chapter 2 Prohibited Conduct; and
·
Part
11 - Chapter 1, Public Sector Equability Duty and Chapter 2, Positive Action, in
drafting and applying the Allocation Scheme.
4.2
The Council operates an equality and diversity policy and is
committed to delivering a fair and equitable service that is appropriate and
accessible to all sections of the local community, as well as working to
eliminate discrimination on any grounds.
4.3
The implementation of a clear and consistent Allocation Scheme
goes hand in hand with careful equalities monitoring. As part of the housing
register application, we ask questions around ethnicity, disability, sexuality,
religious beliefs, age, employment and support needs. The data provided by the
applicant will help us to monitor that the scheme is operated in a fair and non
– discriminatory manner as well as for service improvements.
4.4
It is important that the Allocation Scheme is understood by all current
and prospective applicants. Straight forward information through leaflets are
available in a variety of formats and where
appropriate, interpreters are used for applicants seeking advice and
assistance.
5.1
An applicant has the right to see and to confirm the accuracy of
information about them which is held by the Council.
5.2
In order to request access to personal information, applicants
can make a Subject Access Request by sending an email to dataprotectionofficer@maidstone.gov.uk
5.3
The Homechoice Team will collect and prepare the information
within 28 days. Files may be edited where necessary to exclude information
restricted by law or evidence provided by a third party, for example a
healthcare professional. In the latter case, information can only be released
if the professional concerned has given their written consent. Applicants
wishing to see information provided by third parties must seek consent from the
third party(s) involved.
5.4
If the applicant considers the personal information they have
received is inaccurate, they may request that it is amended or removed from
their records. If the Homechoice and Strategy Manager agrees the information is
incorrect, appropriate action will be taken to amend the records.
5.5
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) states individuals have
the right to have personal data erased. This is also known as the ‘right to be
forgotten’. The right is not absolute and only applies in certain
circumstances.
5.6
Disclosure of information may be denied by the Council in any of
the following circumstances:
·
The
information could prejudice criminal proceedings;
·
Legal
professional privilege could be claimed;
·
A care
professional is of the opinion that disclosure could result in a risk of serious
harm to the applicant or others as a result of disclosure.
5.7
The Council will not pass information to a third party without an
applicant’s consent unless they have a legal right to obtain it.
6.1
To ensure the continued effectiveness of the policy, certain
improvements may need to be made to ensure the policy is kept up to date. Minor
amendments can be made once approved by the appropriate Director. The Chairman
and Vice Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee will be
advised of the change with the opportunity to provide comments within one
calendar month before the amendments are incorporated.
7.1
Applicants have a statutory right to request a review of a
decision relating to their application, (Housing Act 1996 as amended). Where an
applicant wants to introduce a medical issue not previously considered under
the original application the applicant must follow the procedure set out in
paragraph 10.2 Medical Grounds. In addition, Appendix B lists those subjects
on which applicants can request a review, together with the timescale for
requesting a review and receiving a response. All requests for a review must be
made in writing (this can be in the form of an email).
8.1
The Council operates a ‘closed list’ housing register and there
are qualifying entry requirements in order to be accepted onto the register. As
the supply of subsidised housing in the borough is limited, the Council will
concentrate its resources, which includes its access to subsidised housing
(nominations) and staff resources on those applicants most likely to receive an
offer of accommodation.
8.2
In order to be accepted onto the register all applicants must
meet the two qualifying criteria; these are local connection (see Section 9)
and housing need (see Section 10). Applicants will not be accepted on to the
housing register until all the requested information has been provided.
Incomplete new applications will not be processed and the applicant will be
contacted to provide the required information. The applicant will be given 28
days to provide all their relevant information; otherwise, the application will
be declined. Applicants owed a homelessness duty may be given a further 28 days
to provide all their relevant information at the discretion of the applicant’s
caseworker. A list of relevant documents is contained in Appendix A.
8.3
Where an application is accepted onto the housing register the
applicant’s priority date will be set as the date when a valid application was
received, i.e. the date that the completed application and all required
supporting information was received by the Council.
8.4
Applications will not normally be accepted from persons under 18
years of age, except those owed duties by any Local Authority under sections
189B to 195 of the Housing Act 1996 or under section 65(2) or 68(2) of the
Housing Act 1985.
8.5
Local Connection will not be deemed to be an overriding factor
when it is necessary for an applicant to leave an area, such as in cases of
domestic abuse.
9.1
In order to access the housing register, applicants need to
fulfil at least one of the following local connection criteria.
9.2
Resident – the applicant has been residing within Maidstone
Borough for a continuous period of 2 years immediately prior to the
application. The Council may confirm these details with other information held
internally by the Council e.g. Council Tax and Housing Benefit records.
9.3
Family - the applicant must have immediate family that has been
residing within Maidstone Borough for a continuous period of 5 years
immediately prior to the application. The Council may confirm these details
with other data held internally.
9.4
Employment – the applicant must have employment or an offer of
employment within Maidstone Borough. The place of work, rather than the
business address, must be within Maidstone Borough. The employment must be for
a minimum of 12 months and be for more than 16 hours a week. Self-employed
applicants should provide documentation that confirms they regularly work or
operate a business within the borough. For zero hour contracts see 18.4.1.
9.5
Returning Resident – the applicant must have been residing in the
borough for a continuous period of at least 2 of the last 5 years and may not
currently live within Maidstone Borough. The only exceptions to this are
applicants being released from prison where their sentence exceeds 5 years. The
Senior Homechoice Officer may accept an applicant as being a returning resident
in exceptional circumstances.
9.6
Applicants who currently hold a social housing
tenancy in their name within Maidstone Borough will automatically meet the
local connection criteria.
9.7
Members of the Armed Forces – Certain members of the Armed Forces
and their households will bypass the local connection criteria. For more detailed
information as to which members of the armed forces this applies to, please see
18.6.
9.8
In cases where a duty is owed in accordance with the Part 7 of
the Housing Act 1996 confirmed by a decision letter (in accordance with section
184) the Local Connection requirements will be those contained within the
relevant legislation and Code of Guidance, which takes precedence over those
contained within this document.
9.9
Persons placed in Maidstone Borough by another local housing
authority under the provision of the homelessness legislation will not become
eligible to meet the local connection criteria stated in paragraphs 9.2, 9.5
and 9.6 above until the period of 5 years has expired from the date of their
placement and their tenancy within Maidstone Borough would not amount to a
local connection for other family members under paragraph 9.3. When a Relief
Duty may be owed under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996, the Homechoice and
Strategy Manager may use discretion for the purpose of enabling a referral to
another local authority.
9.10
In exceptional circumstances the matter will be considered as
part of the review process and discretion can be applied by the Head of Housing
and Community Services, if an applicant is able to demonstrate a local
connection that does not readily match the local connection criteria stated
above. For example, applicants may have a need for support, special school
placements or medical treatment which cannot be met in any other reasonable
location. Applicants may also have felt the need to leave an area where they
have a local connection. This is often supported by the police or another
external agency. If the Head of Housing and Community Services is satisfied
with the evidence provided in these cases, the applicant may be accepted onto
the housing register.
9.11
Right to Move
9.11.1
The Council supports the Government’s guidance on the Right to Move that
permits Armed Forces personnel access to the housing register.
9.11.2
The Allocation Scheme supports increasing mobility for social tenants to
enable them to meet their employment aspirations and to support them into work.
Where a social housing tenant needs to move to Maidstone to take up a job or
apprenticeship offer or live closer to work, they must be able to demonstrate
to the Council’s satisfaction that the work or job offer is genuine and that
they need, rather than wish to move, and that if they were unable to do so, it
would cause them hardship. The Council will consider and take into account the
factors recommended by the Secretary of State in determining whether a tenant
needs to move to be closer to work or take up a job/apprenticeship offer. These
include:
·
The
distance and/or time taken to travel between work and home.
·
The
availability and affordability of transport, taking into account level of
earnings.
·
The
nature of the work and whether similar opportunities are available closer to
home.
·
Other
personal factors, such as medical conditions and child care, which would be
affected if the tenant could not move.
·
The
length of the work contract.
·
Whether
failure to move would result in the loss of an opportunity to improve
employment circumstances or prospects, for example, by taking up a better job,
a promotion, or an apprenticeship
9.11.3
The Council will seek appropriate documentary evidence and may also
contact the employer to verify the position (see Appendix A).
9.12
An applicant is able to request a review
of the Council’s decision not to agree local connection by writing to the Senior
Homechoice Officer (see Appendix B).
10.1
Applicants must be in housing need to access the register and
must qualify for one of the reasonable preference criteria as set out in S166A(3)
of the Housing Act 1996. Further clarification is provided below.
10.2
Medical
10.2.1
To qualify on medical grounds, applicants must be able to demonstrate
that their current accommodation is unsuitable for their households’ needs due
to a medical condition. This includes people who have a physical disability,
mobility needs, mental illness or learning disabilities.
10.2.2
Applicants must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
Homechoice Officer that their current accommodation is not suitable. Medical
conditions include physical disabilities, mobility needs, mental illness and
learning disabilities and documentation to support the application must be
provided from an NHS medical professional, or an equivalent external agency.
10.2.3
If the Homechoice Officer is unable to determine if an applicant
qualifies, all details will be sent to an independent medical advisor who will
assess the application. The independent medical advisor’s assessment will form
part of the information to determine whether an applicant qualifies on medical
grounds.
10.2.4
All applicants are entitled to one medical assessment for each member of
the household that will be moving with them at no cost. Any further medical
assessments must be paid for in full by the applicant unless there has been a
significant change in the medical condition of an applicant or someone in the
household.
10.2.5
The fee for a medical assessment will be Ł75. This will be reviewed
annually by the Homechoice and Strategy Manager.
10.2.6
Following an initial application for a medical assessment, a request
must be made in writing to the Senior Homechoice Officer which must include all
documentation that an applicant wants to be sent for medical assessment. The Homechoice
and Strategy Manager will then review whether a free medical assessment is
appropriate.
10.3
Welfare
10.3.1
A move on welfare grounds may encompass a wide range of individual
circumstances and will include, but not be limited to:
·
Someone
moving on from care.
·
Someone
moving on from a drug or alcohol recovery programme.
·
Someone
who wants to live independently but requires some additional support, such as
someone with learning disabilities.
·
Someone
who provides or receives care or support.
·
Someone
who needs to leave their current accommodation due to being a victim of crime
or intimidation or domestic abuse
10.3.2
A move on welfare grounds should be
accompanied by supporting evidence from an appropriately qualified professional
connected with the applicant. The Homechoice Officer will assess whether an
applicant qualifies in this category.
10.4
Hazardous Properties
10.4.1
A property will be defined as hazardous by reference to the Housing
Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) prescribed within The Housing Act 2004
Part 1 (or any replacement standard).
10.4.2
A property will be considered as being hazardous where an HHSRS assessment
identifies:
i)
one or more
Category 1 hazards, and where;
ii) a member of the applicant’s
household falls within the vulnerable age group for the hazard/s (as detailed
in the relevant guidance), and;
ii)
the hazard/s
cannot be resolved within a period of 6 months.
10.4.3
Properties, located in Maidstone, assessed as containing Category 1
hazards that can be resolved within a period of 6 months will be subject to
enforcement action to remove the hazard. The owner of the property will be
responsible for all costs incurred in the resolution of the problem, including
any requirement for temporary accommodation that may result due to the hazard.
10.5
Overcrowding & Under Occupancy
10.5.1
A household will be deemed to be overcrowded if, when the bedroom
standard in section 15 is applied, the household is lacking one or more
bedrooms and their home is not considered suitable for their needs. In larger
properties, where there are additional rooms that would not be typically used
as bedrooms, any additional rooms should be counted as providing bed spaces.
This is with the exception of a kitchen/dining/living area.
10.5.2
Households that have moved to a property and made themselves
intentionally overcrowded will not be eligible under this category.
10.5.3
Whilst under occupying is not necessarily a housing need it is in the
interest of applicants and landlords that best use is made of existing
accommodation. A household will be deemed to be under-occupying if they are an
existing social housing tenant and when the bedroom standard in Section 15 is
applied, the household exceeds its need by one or more bedrooms.
10.5.4
In determining whether a property is overcrowded or under-occupied the
Homechoice Officer will apply an objective test based on the size and type of
property and not on how the property is being used by the occupants.
10.5.5
The Homechoice and Strategy Manager has the discretion to consider
exceptional cases where the bedroom criteria does not readily match the
household type (e.g. bed space criteria.)
10.6
Hardship
10.6.1
Households will be deemed to be in hardship if they need to move to
alleviate or prevent hardship. This includes, but is not limited to, those who
need to move to give or receive care, and those who need to move to take up an
employment, education or training opportunity.
10.6.2
Evidence of this must be provided and the Homechoice Officer will assess
whether an applicant qualifies on the basis of hardship.
10.6.3
Applicants who are applying due to financial hardship will need to
provide a completed income and expenditure form for the household, in order for
an assessment to be completed. A form to assist the applicant can be sent upon
request.
10.7
Homeless
10.7.1
Housing need will apply to those applicants who are owed the
S.195(2) Prevention Duty; S.189B(2) Relief Duty or S193(2) main housing duty.
The date of the application will be set to the date of the original application
for housing assistance confirmed by a member of the Housing Advice Team. Applicants who have their Prevention duty discharged as a result of a deliberately
and unreasonable refusal to co-operate will no longer be considered to have a
housing need under this category.
10.7.2
Applicants owed the S.195(2) Prevention Duty will not need to meet the
Local Connection criteria as stated in section 9 of this scheme. Once the Prevention
Duty has ended, in order to remain on the register, an applicant will need to
demonstrate they have a local connection commensurate with section 9 and a
housing need in accordance with section 10.
10.7.3
Housing need will apply to homeless applicants found to be
intentionally homeless and owed the advice and assistance duty under S190(2) of
the Housing Act 1996. Where an applicant is found to
be intentionally homeless, their priority date will be set as the date of the
decision letter. Once an applicant has obtained settled accommodation, their
housing need will end. The application will be processed under the housing
register and must meet the qualifying criteria for local connection. A fuller
explanation of all homeless categories can be found here (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/52/contents)
10.7.4
Where an applicant who is rough sleeping has their situation confirmed
by a partner agency e.g. Maidstone Day Centre or any other registered agency
working within the Borough for this client group, then the applicant will be
assessed as having a housing need.
10.7.5
Applicants who are of no fixed abode, where evidence has been provided,
may be considered as having a housing need, either because they are overcrowded
or because they may be threatened with homelessness. This will apply to
applicants who are found to be not in priority need and whose Relief Duty has
ended.
10.8
If an applicant does not meet any of the housing need criteria,
they will not normally be allowed to have access to the housing register and
will be unable to bid on properties. An applicant can request a review of the
Council’s decision to refuse an application on housing need by writing to the
Council (see Appendix B).
10.9
In exceptional circumstances, the Head of Housing and Communities
has the discretion to accept an application that does not meet any of the above
housing need criteria.
10.
11.
11.1
In order to access the Housing Register at the point of
application, and upon request e.g., at the point of an offer of accommodation,
applicants must provide details of all bank accounts, savings, investments and
capital that belong to any member of their household.
11.2
An applicant’s financial circumstances will be assessed at the
time of their application and any material change in circumstances should be
reported as a change of circumstances as per Section 16.
11.3
As subsidised housing is a limited resource, those who have the
financial means to rent privately or to buy a property are unlikely to meet the
qualifying criteria to enter the register unless a main housing duty has been
accepted for them.
11.4
Applicants who currently hold a social
housing tenancy in their name within Maidstone Borough will not need to meet
the financial circumstances qualifying criteria.
11.5
When determining affordability for certain developments in Parish
areas that are subject to specific planning requirements e.g. rural exception
sites (see paragraph 38.5) the test applied is whether the applicant can afford
the cost of housing in the Parish where the rural exception site has been
delivered as opposed to the cost of their current accommodation where this is
away from the Parish area.
11.6
The Council considers that a total of Ł16,000 in capital,
investments and savings constitutes sufficient financial means to rent
privately or buy a property. This includes equity from a property. The Council
will only consider priority payments, such as rent and council tax, when taking
debts into account.
11.7
A household’s gross income of Ł50,000 will also constitute
sufficient financial means. This figure includes any benefits received.
11.8
The Council will take into consideration any disposal of funds
within 2 years of the application to assess financial circumstances. Where an
applicant cannot demonstrate the appropriate disposal of funds, the Council may
draw an inference as to how the funds have been used.
11.9
The Senior Homechoice Officer has the discretion to accept exceptional
cases where the applicant’s financial circumstances may mean securing
alternative housing (e.g. privately renting) may prove difficult given the
household’s needs.
11.10
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision to refuse an application on financial circumstances by writing to the Senior
Homechoice Officer (see Appendix B).
12.1
The only persons who will be considered as part of an applicant’s
household will be:
·
Partner
·
Children
·
Relatives
·
Carers
·
Any
member of the household who can reasonably be considered residing with the
applicant at the time of initial application
12.2
Children
12.2.1
Children are defined as members of the household who are under 18 years
of age and the applicant must have legal responsibility for the children.
12.2.2
The test of normal residence as a member of the family will require
residence as opposed to “staying” or “staying access” even in cases of joint
custody or joint residence or similar orders. The Council in applying the test
will consider whether there is a sufficient degree of permanence or regularity
to constitute normal residence as a member of the household. Account may be
taken of whether the child is dependent upon the applicant. The Council may
also take into account the supply and demand for accommodation in the Maidstone
Borough and any under-occupation that may result where a child spends part of
the week with one parent and part of the week with another parent.
13.1
Pregnancy must be reported to the Council as a change of
circumstances and relevant proof of pregnancy must be supplied.
13.2
Upon entering the last trimester (usually the last 12 – 14 weeks)
of a pregnancy, the pregnancy will be considered as an additional child for the
purpose of assessing the bedroom needs of an applicant.
14.1
Applicants should be aware that whilst their area preference will
be respected, Maidstone has a limited supply of subsidised housing. In order to
make best use of this limited resource, and for an applicant to maximise their
chances of being housed, applicants should bid on all properties that are
suitable regardless of location.
14.2
The Kent Homechoice website will provide details of bidding
activity including details of successful bids. Information is provided through
Kent Homechoice that will enable the applicant to make an assessment of how
long it will take to be housed. Some areas are more popular than others and
some property types attract more bids than others. As applicants can identify
areas of the Borough where many or few vacancies of suitably sized
accommodation may become available, they can make an assessment as to the
likelihood of a property becoming available in that area.
15.1
Household composition determines the number of bedrooms in a home
that an applicant can be awarded. The Council will use the bedroom standard
recommended by the Secretary of State which allocates a separate bedroom to
each:
·
Married
or co-habiting couple
·
Person
aged 16 years or over
·
Two
children of the same sex up to the age of 16
·
Two
children aged under 10 years regardless of sex
15.2
Extra bedrooms may be allocated in exceptional circumstances such
as where an overnight carer is required (see paragraph 18.2) or an extra
bedroom is required for a disabled child who would normally be expected to
share a bedroom. This must be approved by a Senior Homechoice Officer.
15.3
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision in respect of bedroom allocation by writing to the Homechoice and
Strategy Manager (see Appendix B).
16.1
Applicants must inform the Housing Service in writing or by email
of any changes to their circumstances such as, but not limited to, change of
address or composition of household within 30 days of the change occurring.
This may result in a change to the band that the applicant has been placed in. This
may affect an offer of accommodation if the information provided by the
applicant is out of date and could result in the withdrawal of an offer.
16.2
Applicants are entitled to remain on the register until their
housing need has been resolved unless they are removed by the Council, however,
all applicants must be active on the register and bidding for properties
whenever possible and appropriate.
16.3
Applicants are required to renew their housing register
application every 12 months. The Council will contact applicants on an annual
basis, reminding them of the requirement to renew, in order to remain on the
Housing Register.
16.4
If an applicant fails to respond within 28 days of being asked to
renew their application their application will be removed. When a new housing
register application is submitted after one has been removed, the applicant
will be treated as a new case. This means the applicants’ priority date will be
set at the date of the new valid application.
16.5
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision to cancel an application by writing to the Senior Homechoice Officer (see
Appendix B).
17.1
The Council operates a system known as banding to measure an
applicant’s housing need. When an application is received, it is assessed and
placed into one of four bands depending on the housing needs of the applicant.
These bands reflect the reasonable preference criteria set out in the relevant
legislation.
17.2
The bands are as follows:
C – Community
Contribution and Homelessness Prevention
H - Homeless
M – Medical and Health
Assistance
R – Reasonable
Preference
17.3
In order to achieve the aims and priorities (Page 3) a greater
number of properties per applicant will go to Band C; the intention being to
encourage applicants into this band. Applicants in Band M are likely to need
housing based on a medical requirement. The Council will work with its housing
providers to match adapted properties to applicants with a specific need for this
type of housing.
18.1
This band is for those applicants who have a housing need (see
section 10) and in addition entry into this band requires either a community
contribution which is defined below, or the applicant is owed a duty under
S.195(2) of the Housing Act 1996.
18.1.1
Any applicant to whom a Relief Duty is owed under S.189B; a main housing
duty under S.193(2) or S.193C(4) has been accepted under the Housing Act 1996
or; is confirmed as a rough sleeper, will be placed in Band H – Homeless
applicants, regardless of if they meet the following community contribution
criteria.
18.1.2
Community contribution is defined by, but not limited to, the following
criteria:
·
Persons
who are members of the Armed Forces or their families (see paragraph 18.6)
·
Persons
undertaking voluntary work
·
Persons
in employment
·
Persons
who are foster carers or adopters (see paragraph 18.5)
·
Persons
providing care (see paragraph 18.2)
18.1.3
Community contribution must be supported by evidence to demonstrate the
persons within the application fit into one of the criteria set out in the
following paragraphs.
18.1.4
Applicants must fulfil the community contribution requirements as stated
in 18.1.2 at the point of application in order to enter this band.
18.1.5
Applicants must continue to fulfil the community contribution criteria
whilst they are on the register and be able to prove that they fulfil the
criteria when an offer of accommodation is made.
18.1.6
Where an applicant is placed in Band R, they are eligible to move into
Band C once they have demonstrated that they meet the community contribution
criteria.
18.1.7
If an applicant believes that they fulfil the community
contribution test in another way, they should provide as many details and
evidence of their contribution as they can to the Senior Homechoice Officer who
will decide if they qualify.
18.1.8
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s decision that
the community contribution criteria are not met by writing to the Senior
Homechoice Officer (see Appendix B).
18.2
Persons Acting as
Carers
18.2.1
Any applicant in receipt of the Carer’s
Allowance will qualify as a carer.
18.3
Persons Undertaking Voluntary
Work
18.3.1
The Council believes that voluntary work provides a fundamental role in
providing a community contribution and the allocation of housing reflects the
importance of this.
18.3.2
An applicant will qualify if they volunteer for a not for profit group
or organisation that works in or is based within the borough.
18.3.3
Applicants must be able to prove that they volunteer for a minimum of 10
hours a week and have done so on a consistent basis for at least 6 months. A
letter or email from an employee of the group/organisation to confirm this is
required.
18.4
Persons in Employment
18.4.1
Employment must be for a minimum of 16 hours
per week and with a contract of employment for at least 12 months.
Self-employed applicants should provide documentation that confirms they regularly
work a minimum of 16 hours per week. In relation to zero hours contracts if the
applicant can provide evidence of continuous employment over a 12 month period
this will be sufficient.
18.5
Persons who are Foster Carers or Adopters
18.5.1
KCC approved adopters and foster carers will fulfil the community
contribution qualification. Those who are applying to be a foster carer or
adopter will not qualify for community contribution until they have been
approved by KCC and provided documentation confirming this.
18.5.2
As foster children are not included in bedroom allocation, an applicant
who is an approved foster carer can request an additional bedroom to allow them
to continue fostering.
18.5.3
When an applicant is an approved adopter, they are entitled to request
an additional bedroom so as not to prevent them adopting a child.
18.6
Persons who are Members of the Armed Forces or their Families
18.6.1
Members of the Armed Forces, and their families, often struggle to
fulfil local connection requirements due to having to move from base to base.
As such, any household that fulfils the following criteria will bypass the
local connection and housing need criteria and will automatically have a
community contribution.
The criteria are:
·
Current
member of the Armed Forces
·
Served
in the Armed Forces within the last 5 years (except where the applicant has
been dishonourably discharged).
·
Bereaved
spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving Services
Family Accommodation and where the death of the spouse was wholly or partially
attributable to their service.
·
Members
of the Reserve Forces who need to move on medical or welfare grounds as a
result of their service.
18.6.2
Members of the Reserve Forces qualify for community contribution but
must fulfil the local connection criteria.
18.7
Homeless Prevention
18.7.1
Applicants who are owed a prevention duty under S.195(2) of the Housing
Act 1996. Prevention duty applies when a local authority is satisfied that an
applicant is threatened with homelessness and eligible for assistance.
18.7.2
If the prevention duty is ended and a relief duty is accepted as the
applicant has become homeless, they would be eligible to remain on the housing
register if they meet the local connection criteria as stated in section 9 of
this policy. If eligible, from the date that the Relief Duty is accepted, their
application would be placed in Band H – Homeless Applicants.
18.7.3
If the prevention duty is ended for another reason (e.g. The applicant
has refused to cooperate with their caseworker or they have refused an offer of
suitable accommodation) they would no longer be eligible to remain on the
housing register unless they have evidenced that they meet the two qualifying
criteria of housing need and local connection.
19.1
This band is for all applicants to whom a Relief Duty is owed
under S.189B or a main housing duty under S.193(2) or S.193C(4) has been
accepted under The Housing Act 1996. This band is also for applicants found to
be intentionally homeless and owed a duty under S.190(2) and applicants found
to be not in priority need, or who are rough sleeping. For more information see
Section 10.7.
19.2
An applicant placed in this band will have their application date
set to the date that a homelessness application with all the relevant
supporting documentation was made to the Council, unless they were already
accepted on to the Housing Register due to having an alternative housing need
or have found to be intentionally homeless, see paragraph 10.7.3.
19.3
Homeless applicants owed the
main housing duty under S.193(2) will be expected to actively seek a property
via the Kent Homechoice Scheme and the
Council may place bids on behalf of the applicant or apply auto-bidding.
The Council may seek to find and directly nominate to a suitable property in
order to discharge its housing duty.
20.1
This band is for people who have a housing need due to significant
medical grounds whose current accommodation is not suitable for them due to
medical needs, such as a physical disability, or where another housing need
exists but the applicant has a significant medical need and requires an adapted
property. Evidence of a medical condition must be supported by documentation
from medical professionals or appropriately qualified persons (see section
10.2). It is the Council’s intention to match where possible adapted properties
to this band.
21.1
This band is for those applicants who have a housing need due to
unsatisfactory housing conditions, such as statutory overcrowding or insanitary
or hazardous properties, those with a medical need not requiring specific adaptations,
or those that need to move to prevent or alleviate hardship or on the grounds
of welfare. Other applicants who do not meet the requirements of Band C, Band H,
or Band M will join this band if they qualify to join the housing register.
22.1
Kent Homechoice
(Choice Based Letting Scheme) is the
mechanism the Council uses to enable applicants to bid on housing within the
borough. Kent Homechoice is a web based scheme on which landlords advertise
vacant properties. Kent Homechoice is a partnership between the 13 Local Housing
Authorities in Kent and over 30 housing association landlords. Upon acceptance
to the register, applicants will be sent details of their application number,
which band they have been placed in, and details of the user guide for the
website.
22.2
Applicants should familiarise themselves with the website as soon
as they are able to.
22.3
Properties are advertised daily and all applicants are allowed to
bid on up to three adverts while the bidding is open. Applicants should place
bids on as many properties as they are able to that meet their requirements.
22.4
Applicants will be expected to actively seek a property via the
Kent Homechoice Scheme. If an applicant is not placing regular bids, the
Council may suspend their application. The applicant will be contacted within
7 days and asked to explain their reason for not bidding. If the applicant
fails to respond with a valid reason within 14 days their application will be removed.
If the reason for non-bidding relates to their inability to use the Kent
Homechoice system, the Council will provide assistance to the applicant and the
application can be reinstated by the Senior Homechoice Officer without any
penalty. Alternative forms of bidding are available, such as by telephone or
text messaging. In some circumstances, the Council may place bids on behalf of
an applicant.
22.5
Applicants are able to see on Kent Homechoice whether they have
been successful in bidding on a property, and if not, where on the shortlist
they have been placed. Applicants within the same band will be prioritised in
the order of their priority date, i.e. the date that the completed application
and all required supporting information was received by the Council. The longer
someone has been in housing need, the more likely they are to be successful.
23.1
All adverts placed on the Kent Homechoice website are intended to
be an accurate description of the property and include any alterations that
have been made to assist independent living. Adverts are placed by the
landlord and are not the responsibility of the Council. If an advert does not
accurately reflect the property this should be drawn to the attention of the
landlord. Applicants who are unhappy with the standard of the advert are advised
to complain to the relevant landlord. Where necessary, e.g. persistently poor
adverts whether notified by applicants or staff to the Homechoice and Strategy
Manager will be referred to the Kent Homechoice Manager for further action to
be taken.
24.1
The Council will set a quota to allocate the percentage of
properties for each band. This quota will be set at the beginning of every
financial year for the following year and, if appropriate, following an
amendment to the Allocation Scheme.
24.2
The quota will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that best
use of the housing stock is maintained. This review will be undertaken by the Homechoice
and Strategy Manager. Any recommendation to change the quota must be approved
by the Head of Housing and Community Services and the Chairman or in their
absence the Vice Chairman of the Community, Housing and Environment Committee.
24.3
Properties which have been adapted to suit those with specific
needs, such as those with flush floor showers, disabled access or stair lift
etc will be advertised to the Medical and Health Assistance Band (Band M)
first.
24.4
Properties that are subject to age restrictions (e.g. sheltered
housing) or specific planning conditions such as Local Needs Housing will be
advertised to all bands.
25.1
The intention of the Council and its Housing Partners is that all
vacancies are advertised and let through Kent Homechoice. However, there are
occasions when it is not practical to do so. For example, when the Council is
ending its Main Housing Duty and Relief Duty, as reflected in the Homelessness
Reduction Act. Alternatively, some properties may not attract any bids and to
minimise the number of empty properties in the borough the Council will match
an applicant to a suitable property without the applicant necessarily bidding
on the vacancy.
25.2
In the case where no bids have been received on a vacancy that
was advertised to a specific Band, the advert will be extended and opened to
all bands. In the event that no bids are received from any applicant the
landlord can request a nomination from the Council which will constitute a
direct allocation. These offers will be a suitable offer of accommodation and
the usual penalties for refusal will apply.
25.3
A direct offer of accommodation can be a property that is either subsidised
rent or private sector. The Council must make best use of whatever stock is
available in the Borough. This may result in an offer of accommodation in the
private rented sector.
25.4
The Council may agree with a landlord that certain properties in
specific locations are more difficult to let. With the prior agreement of both
parties these properties may be advertised to all Bands in the first instance. In
certain cases, the Council may negotiate a reciprocal letting arrangement with
another local authority, where one authority provides a vacant property on the
basis that the receiving authority will provide one of their vacancies to the
other authority at a later time.
26.1
The Council will nominate applicants to a property in accordance
with the Allocation Scheme. The Council acknowledges that some housing providers
retain their own allocation policy. There may be circumstances where the
Council’s nomination is declined by the housing provider. In those
circumstances the applicant will be referred to the relevant housing provider by
the Council to enable them to challenge the decision made by the housing provider,
if the applicant wants to do so.
26.2
Where a successful nomination is made the housing provider will
attempt to contact the applicant. If the applicant does not respond to the housing
provider within 7 days of the initial contact the nomination will be deemed to
be refused and paragraph 29.2 will be applied. Whilst being considered for an
offer of a property, applicants will not be short-listed for other vacancies.
27.1
At the point of nomination, some applicants may be ineligible for
an offer of accommodation. The Council reserves the right to determine an
applicant ineligible for an offer of accommodation if it considers the
applicant has been guilty of unacceptable behaviour serious enough to make them
unsuitable as a tenant. The Council will contact the applicant to inform them
of decisions made under this section.
27.2
The reasons for determining an applicant
ineligible for an offer may include (but are not limited to) the following:
·
current
rent arrears or rent arrears from previous tenancies within a reasonable period
(e.g. 6 years) from either private or social tenancies, equivalent to a minimum
of 8 weeks rent
·
arrears
with Maidstone Council for a debt in relation to a tenancy, loan or other
financial assistance provided by the Housing Service
·
a
history of anti-social behaviour or has wilfully damaged previously rented
accommodation
27.3
The Homechoice and Strategy Manager can apply
discretion when determining if an applicant should initially be suspended from
the register in accordance with section 27.4. Examples of where discretion may
be applied are where the applicant is able to demonstrate
a repayment agreement is in place and has been maintained for a reasonable
period or where the applicant’s rent
charge has been found to be unaffordable by the relevant housing officer and
the debt accrued at no fault of the applicant.
27.4
Applicants found ineligible under section 27.2 will be suspended
from the register for 6 months. The application will be reviewed and reassessed
after this time and another suspension may be applied. If after a further 6
month suspension period an applicant is still found to be ineligible, they may
be removed from the register.
27.5
If an applicant has failed to provide the relevant information
for their application to be verified or they haven’t notified the Council of a
change in circumstances that would result in a material change to their housing
needs, they may be ineligible for an offer at the point of nomination.
27.6
An applicant may be asked to provide additional or updated
information in order to verify their application at the point of nomination. If
an applicant fails to respond to this request within 28 days their application
will be considered incomplete and removed.
27.7
An applicant’s priority date will be amended to the date on which
they become eligible for an offer of accommodation.
27.8
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s initial
decision that they are ineligible for an offer by writing to the Senior
Homechoice Officer (see Appendix B).
28.1
The suitability of an offer of accommodation is considered for
all applicants as part of the allocations process. The test of suitability
will be determined by the statutory basis of the offer (see paragraph 28.5)
28.2
Suitability of accommodation
will be determined by the following factors:
·
Bedroom
standard
·
HHSRS
assessment
·
Affordability
·
Accessibility
for those with mobility issues
28.3
Location will not ordinarily be
a factor in suitability unless there are specific concerns relating to an area.
In these cases, the Senior Homechoice Officer will decide if the offer was
suitable or not. The Council will follow the relevant Code of Guidance (issued
by the government) and case-law to determine the relevant factors to be
considered in determining suitability.
28.4
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision that an offer was suitable by writing to the Homechoice and Strategy
Manager (see Appendix B).
28.5
For applicants owed a housing duty under Part 7 of the Housing
Act 1996, in assessing suitability of a final offer of accommodation,
consideration will be given to relevant legislation and guidance. Applicants
will have the right to request a review of the suitability of any offer of
accommodation offered to discharge a duty under sections 189B to 193C and 195.
Applicants should be advised of their right to request a review having accepted
an offer, as this secures the accommodation whilst the review is considered.
29.1
Refusals on the grounds of
suitability will be assessed by the Senior Homechoice Officer based upon the
suitability section (Section 28) of this document.
29.2
Applicants who refuse a property
will have their priority date set to the date on which they refused the offer
of accommodation, effectively reducing their priority within the band.
29.3
An applicant is able to request a review of the Council’s
decision to refuse an application by writing to the Homechoice and Strategy
Manager (see Appendix B).
29.4
For applicants owed a housing duty under Part 7 of the Housing
Act 1996, a Senior Officer within the Housing Advice Team will make a decision
on whether the final offer of accommodation was suitable, considering any
additional information provided by the applicant and whether, as a result of a
refusal of the final offer, the housing duty owed to the applicant will be
discharged. Applicants should be advised of their right to request a review
having accepted an offer, as this secures the accommodation whilst the review
is considered.
30.1
The Council recognises that
because of the particular circumstances of the Gypsy and Traveller community it
may not be appropriate to follow normal housing allocation policy.
30.2
Applicants can register their interest in vacant site plots by
completing a Housing Register application form and indicating that they require
a plot on a site.
30.3
Plots will be allocated, where available, to members of the Gypsy
and Traveller community who can provide evidence that they live in or regularly
frequent Maidstone borough. If they live in the Borough, evidence should be
provided as stated in Appendix A of this scheme.
30.4
Applicants for vacancies will be considered in the order of when
their completed application form and all required supporting information was
received by the Council.
31.1
If an applicant is due to be released from prison imminently and
confirmation has been received from the Prison Service or Community
Rehabilitation Company, an applicant may be considered as having a Housing
Need. The normal local connection criteria would still apply. Where an
applicant who is in prison does not meet the local connection criteria set out
in Section 10 they will be unable to join the register and will be directed to
the area in which they had a local connection prior to their sentence.
31.2
Applicants who have served a period in custody at a prison
located in Maidstone, or at approved premises will not meet the local
connection criteria on that basis alone.
32
High Risk Offenders
32.1
The housing of high risk offenders will be carried out as part of
a multi-agency arrangement with the Police, National Probation Service, Social
Services and other appropriate agencies and an Accommodation Specific Housing
Risk Assessment will need to be completed by the National Probation Service.
32.2
An area or type of property acceptable to the Council will be
agreed in partnership with the agencies involved. High risk offenders will be
offered limited choice through Kent Homechoice. Where there are urgent issues,
the Homechoice and Strategy Manager may consider a direct offer, taking into
account all relevant matters concerning the applicant.
33.1
The NWMS is funded and managed by the Office of Criminal Justice Reform
in the Home Office and works with police forces and housing authorities to
assist with the re-housing of seriously intimated witnesses.
33.2
The scheme enables witnesses to relocate outside their area to a
place of safety.
33.3
NWMS work with Maidstone Council. The Council will investigate
whether it has a duty to assist with accommodation because the applicant is
threatened with homelessness and it is not reasonable for them to return.
33.4
The applicant will need to complete a housing register form and
the Senior Homechoice Officer will consider the appropriate priority. Due to
the high demand for subsidised housing in the borough the Council will accept
up to 2 nominations per financial year from the NWMS under this voluntary
scheme.
34.1
There are a number of supported housing projects in Maidstone
that are suitable for people with support needs. These include supported
housing for:
·
Young
people
·
People
with mental health needs
·
People
with substance misuse needs
·
People
with other vulnerabilities
·
People
who are homeless
·
Offenders
·
People
who require assisted housing
·
Almshouses
34.2
The Council has nomination rights to certain schemes managed by housing associations or other agencies. Some of the
schemes provide long-term accommodation whereas others assume that there will
be a requirement for the resident to move on either after a certain period or
when they are capable of living independently.
34.3
Supported housing projects are often let on a short to medium term
basis. Anyone in the last six months of their stay in supported accommodation
will be defined as having a housing need but must still fulfil the local
connection criteria. Applicants in supported accommodation for more than 2
years will fulfil local connection criteria by virtue of residency.
34.4
When the supported housing provider considers that the applicant
is capable of sustaining a tenancy in general needs housing (with appropriate
support) and provides evidence, the applicant will be deemed as having a
housing need.
34.5
If an applicant is successful in securing a vacancy in a
supported housing property, their housing register application will be
suspended until the supported accommodation provider considers that the
applicant is capable of sustaining a tenancy in general needs housing (see
paragraph 34.4). The applicant will be required to complete a Change of Address
form to update their Housing Register application.
35.1
Applicants who may require supported accommodation or support to
be provided to sustain their tenancy will be referred to the relevant agency
providing that support.
35.2
All applicants are assessed according to their needs and support
requirements at the time of the referral, together with any potential risk they
may present to themselves and others.
35.3
The assessment is made to determine the most appropriate type of
accommodation for the applicant, the level and type of support and respective
priority compared to other applicants.
35.4
Where a social or support service is provided in conjunction with
the accommodation, only applicants who are considered to require and benefit
from that service will be considered for that accommodation. Examples of this
type of accommodation would include extra care housing for older people, housing
designated for special needs such as young people, people with mental health
problems, or those known to be sleeping rough or who have no housing
whatsoever.
35.5
Some general needs accommodation will be allocated to those in
need of floating support. Allocation to such properties will be agreed in
partnership with the housing association concerned and the support provider. Such
applicants may be nominated to that accommodation regardless of their position
under the Allocation Scheme.
36.1
Some accommodation has criteria defined by age which will be in
the property advert. Applicants over the age of 60 will be considered for
sheltered accommodation if assessed suitable by the housing provider. Some
housing providers will accept applicants aged 50 plus. Applicants can also bid
for designated sheltered accommodation through Kent Homechoice. They may also
be referred by relatives, social workers or GPs, or the Council’s medical
advisor may recommend sheltered accommodation. If contact is made by a third
party the applicant will need to be contacted and asked to complete an
application form.
36.2
Once a bid is placed through Kent Homechoice, an officer from the
housing provider recommends whether the
applicant is suitable for sheltered accommodation or whether extra care is
thought to be appropriate. Those who appear to need a higher level of support
and/or care may be referred to adult services. A recommendation for extra care
will also be dealt with through the housing register. Adult services may make a
referral direct to the Council.
37.1
Where accommodation has been
designed or adapted to provide facilities which are intended specifically for
use by a disabled person, only applicants whose household includes a person who
is considered to require those facilities will be able to bid for that
accommodation. These properties will be advertised to applicants in the Health Assistance
band (Band M). This might include a wheelchair accessible property or a
property which has been substantially adapted.
37.2
In the event that there are no suitable applicants bidding on the
property the Council may consider a direct allocation to an applicant requiring
the facilities to make the best use of the adaptations. In the event that there
is no suitable applicant in any of the Bands, the property may be re-advertised
to allow applicants to bid for the property who do not require the adaptations.
38.1
Local lettings plans are lettings policies which form part of the
housing nomination process. They apply to a limited part of the housing stock
where the Council has nomination rights and will be determined by site and when
the properties are released for occupation. In consultation with relevant
Housing providers, the Council may adopt a local letting policy. This is to
achieve a balanced community on a new development or to tackle issues in an
existing locality where there are management problems and the properties have
become less desirable. The Council has referred to the principles agreed within
the Kent Housing Group (Creating Successful Communities in Kent and Medway
protocol) when drafting local lettings plans.
38.2
With the exception of paragraph 38.5, local lettings plans
normally apply to the initial allocation on new developments. Where a local
lettings plan is agreed for an established development the Council and relevant
landlord may monitor the impact of the lettings plan to ensure it meets the
stated aims of the plan.
38.3
The Council maintains a standard local lettings plan which will
form the basis of all local lettings plans to assist developers, landlords and
other interested parties in drafting the planning contribution agreement.
38.4
In order for the Council to meet the aims and priorities as
stated at the start of this document, the Allocation Scheme takes priority over
any agreed local lettings plan.
38.5
Where accommodation is subject to a planning agreement or other
restrictions, only applicants who can meet the terms of the agreement or
restriction will be allocated accommodation. This may be the case for housing
in some rural areas which is intended for occupation by local people. The
Council may also consider direct offers for properties subject to a local
lettings plan or planning agreements.
39.1
Decants apply to social housing tenants only. Where single
properties are decanted, e.g. to undertake extensive planned or emergency
repairs (where the tenants are required to be moved to temporary
accommodation), the landlord will identify temporary accommodation from within
their own stock and this will be allocated outside of the Kent Homechoice
scheme. The tenant will return to their home following completion of the
repairs.
39.2
Where large-scale redevelopment proposals require tenants to
leave their homes whilst the properties or a specified area is redeveloped, the
relevant landlord is required to consult with the Homechoice and Strategy
Manager so that the approach can be agreed prior to the redevelopment scheme
being confirmed. An appropriate Local Lettings Plan will be drafted that meets
the requirements of the landlord, seeks to minimise the impact on the overall
availability of vacant homes and on tenants, and where appropriate enables
existing tenants to return to the same area.
40.1
Management moves will be the responsibility of the housing providers
to operate and will not form part of the Allocations Scheme. Management Moves
are intended to operate in exceptional circumstances where rapid housing to
alternative accommodation is required within the landlord’s stock, for example
where the property has dangerous structural defect.
40.2
The landlord is required to notify the Council when such a move
has been made, the reason and details of the properties concerned.
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
41.1
Maidstone Borough Council has signed up to the Kent and Medway Reciprocal
Scheme. This is a voluntary scheme between the 13 Kent and Medway authorities
to support the duty to co-operate under S.213 of the Housing Act 1996. The
scheme’s aim is to prevent households from becoming homeless as a result of
domestic abuse or violence / serious harassment from outside the home.
41.2
Where the Council has agreed to assist another Local Authority
under this Scheme, the applicant will be assessed in accordance with this
Allocation Scheme however, the local connection criteria will not apply.
42.1
Applications from employees and elected members of Maidstone
Borough Council (including applications where the employee or elected member is
part of the household in the application) will be assessed in accordance with
the Allocation Scheme and will have to meet the same qualifying criteria in
order to be accepted on to the register.
42.2
Employees of Maidstone Borough Council should not use any
internal housing systems to access their account or those of their family
members and/or associates. Where a conflict of interest may arise, the officer
should bring this to the attention of their line manager.
Children
Children are defined as those aged
under 18 for whom the applicant is legally responsible or has proven shared
legal responsibility. An adult child for the purposes of local connection would
be considered immediate family.
Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse is defined as violence
from an associated person, which includes partner, siblings, and parents. The
violence may include an incident or pattern of
incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse
between those aged 16 or over who are or have intimate partners or family
members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not
limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual,
financial, and emotional.
Where a case of Domestic Abuse has
been established and no other options are available/ appropriate, including the
Council’s Sanctuary Scheme, the applicant will be placed into the relevant Band
according to their characteristics.
Family
For the purposes of this Allocation Scheme,
family will mean immediate family. This will include siblings, parents and
children.
Hate Crimes
Hate crimes can be defined as
violence/harassment based on an individuals’ race, ethnicity, disability, gender
or sexual orientation. The harassment may involve physical or verbal
intimidation.
Where a case of hate crime has been
established and no other options are available or appropriate, then a managed
move may be agreed with a housing provider.
HHSRS
The Housing Health and Safety Rating
System was established by the Housing Act 2004. It provides for the assessment
of 29 health and safety hazards found in housing and a method by which they are
rated to identify those hazards that present the greatest risk to occupiers.
Crime and Disorder
Where an applicant is the victim of a
serious incident of crime or disorder in their home, the Council’s Community
Safety Unit will work with them to enable them to stay in their home, if that
is the most appropriate option.
Social Housing Tenant
A social housing tenant is someone who
rents a property from a local council or housing provider.
No Fixed Abode
Not having a fixed geographical
location as a residence.
Documents required from the applicant
to be accepted on to the housing register or upon consideration of an
allocation of accommodation
Eligibility
Applicants who
are not UK citizens will need to meet the eligibility criteria as stated in the
current guidance issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government and provide the relevant evidence.
Additional Information
1.
Proof
of identity
For each named applicant photographic identification, for example, a valid
passport or photo driving licence, or similar document and your national
insurance number.
2.
Proof
of income
Salary/wage slips for the past two months
Proof of any income-related benefits received, for example, income support
Statements from all bank, building society and savings accounts for the past two
months
3.
Proof
of your address/tenure
Tenancy agreement if there
is a tenancy, if not recently addressed correspondence.
4.
If
you have children living with you
Birth certificate for each child, and
Proof of receipt of child benefit
5.
If
you have access to children that do not live with you full time
Residence Order if available, or letter from the child’s full time carer
detailing the access arrangements, including the frequency of visits, the length
of time they have been in place, and any future arrangements.
6.
If
you own, or have ever owned, a property
Current mortgage statement and recent valuation of the property.
Confirmation of the amount received from the sale or transfer of the property.
7.
Medical
Information
Documentation provided
from an NHS medical professional, or an equivalent external agency.
8.
Voluntary,
charitable work or training
A letter or email from an
employee of the group/organisation to confirm that you volunteer or carry out
charitable work for a minimum of 10 hours a week and have done so on a
consistent basis for at least 6 months.
A letter or email from the
college, university or training organisation providing the details of the
course being undertaken including the start and finish dates of the course.
9.
Right
to Move
A contract
of employment.
A formal
offer/acceptance of employment letter.
Proof of current address.