Applying for Council housing

Housing Register
Priority banding is based on housing need. The Scheme will be used to assess the housing need of housing applicants and they will be advised which band reflects their need most appropriately.

There will also be prioritisation of applicants within specific bands. All applications will be given an application date. Within each band there will be prioritisation using the date that the applicant is placed within the band awarded to their application. In addition applicants will be prioritised if they have a local connection to North Warwickshire as defined in the Scheme.

Band 1+
Applicants in the following circumstances will be placed in the highest priority band (Band 1+):

Applicants assessed as having a priority because their circumstances meet one of the criteria set out for Band 1 but who also need to move very urgently for reasons such as
life threatening illness, domestic abuse or threat of violence.

Band 1
Applicants in the following circumstances are deemed to have an urgent need for re-housing:

• Applicants assessed as statutorily homeless who are owed a full housing duty.
• Applicants who are in short term supported housing and are required to move on to alternative accommodation urgently. Confirmation about these circumstances will be required from the organisation providing the supported accommodation.
• Applicants in properties that are assessed as having a lack of facilities or that are subject to statutory Prohibition or Demolition Orders in accordance with legislation and statutory regulations. This would also include situations where the condition of property occupied is seriously detrimental to the health of any of the household and the defects to the property cannot be readily remedied.
• Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of at least 3 bedrooms.
• Where applicants are unable to continue to occupy their current accommodation due to a urgent medical need or disability.
• Applicants with an urgent need for alternative accommodation on the grounds of significant welfare need because they need to receive or provide care or support
• Applicants who cannot continue to live in their current home because of serious harassment or violence.
• Applicants with a need to move to a particular locality where significant hardship would be caused if they did not move. 
• Applicants who are residing in private rented accommodation who have an urgent need to move because the cost is assessed as causing significant financial
• hardship.

Armed forces personnel who fall into a statutory reasonable preference category and are in urgent housing need will be given additional preference and placed in this category if they:

• Are serving members of the regular forces who are suffering from a serious injury, illness or disability which is wholly or partly attributable to their service
• Are former members of the regular forces
• Are bereaved spouses or civil partners of those serving in the regular forces where (i) the bereaved spouse or civil partner has recently ceased or will cease to be entitled, to reside in Ministry of Defence accommodation following the death of their service spouse or civil partner and (ii) the death was wholly or partly attributable to their service
• Are existing or former members of the reserve forces who are suffering from a serious injury, illness, or disability which is wholly or partly attributable to their service

Band 2
Applicants in the following circumstances are deemed to have a high need for rehousing:

• Applicants who are assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness but where there is no statutory duty to obtain housing.
• Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of at least 2 bedrooms.
• Tenants of Private Registered Providers (housing associations) living in the Borough who are under occupying their current accommodation. (For example they have a high need to move because of their own circumstances or because their transfer will help to make better use of their landlord’s stock)
• Applicants with a high housing need who have been assessed as requiring suitable alternative accommodation because their medical condition and/ or disability is having a significant detrimental affect on their ability to live independently at home.
• Applicants with a high need for alternative accommodation on the grounds of serious welfare need including issues of vulnerability because they need to receive or provide support. 
• Applicants with a high need to move to a particular locality where serious hardship would be caused if they did not move.
• Applicants who are residing in private rented accommodation who have a high need to move because the cost is assessed as causing financial hardship or because an improvement notice has been served and been in place for 3 months and the landlord has not acted in accordance with it .
• Applicants who live in the Borough with children under 5 in flats above ground floor.
• Applicants who are sharing facilities with more than one household, this could include sharing the bathroom or kitchen.
• Applicants who are in Armed Forces accommodation who have a need for rehousing will be placed in this category six months before discharge and vacation of service accommodation is required.

Band 3

• Applicants in the following circumstances are deemed to have a medium need for re-housing:
• Applicants living in a property that has minor disrepair and/or in poor condition but is not a risk to health or safety.
• Applicants with a medium medical need or disability where a move to more suitable alternative accommodation would improve their health
• Applicants who are overcrowded because their present home is short of 1 bedroom.

Band 4

• Applicants in the following circumstances are deemed to have a low need for rehousing:
• Applicants who are privately renting and at risk of losing their home, or need to move for financial reasons or to gain employment. Private tenants who need to move to be nearer to family to give or receive support, or to be nearer to their place of work.
• Applicants living at home with parents and/or family and seeking independence.

See our Letting Scheme for a detailed description of eligibility and banding.

Last updated Tuesday, 11th October 2016

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