Changes to the Housing Allocations Policy
We have a legal duty to change our Allocations Policy every 5 years or sooner to comply with legislation changes.
The revised Housing Allocations Scheme, which sets out how the council allocates and lets social housing in the borough, was approved at the Place Committee on 7 November 2023 following a consultation period.
The new policy
The new allocations policy aims to
- better match homes with those who need them most due to high demand.
- explain clearly how we decide who gets social housing.
- make our decisions fair and clear to everyone.
- make the process easier to understand and follow.
- streamline who can apply and how we decide.
- keep up with new laws and best practice.
The main changes
1. Hybrid Allocations Policy
A proportion of lets will be made via direct lets where we identify a property and make the applicant a direct offer sometimes outside of band order and time waited.
This allows us to control the homeless challenge facing the council. Especially those in temporary accommodation and bed and breakfast, as well as making offers to specific applicants or for particular property types, in the interest of best use of stock.
2. Simplified Allocations Bands
We have introduced an emergency band, and simplified the categories.
- Emergency Band: This highest priority band is for cases deemed exceptionally urgent. It includes individuals facing immediate risks to their life, living in severe unsanitary conditions, or with medical needs that have a major adverse effect on their health.
- Band 1: This band is for individuals subject to decant proceedings, social housing tenants under-occupying by more than one bedroom, social housing tenants releasing an adapted property they no longer need, homeless applicants under legacy criteria, and statutory and non-statutory successors in social housing.
- Band 2: Occupants in this category include social housing tenants under-occupying by one bedroom, social housing tenants living in overcrowded conditions by two or more bedrooms, Homeless Applicants in Temporary Accommodation owed full housing duty, referrals from Social Care or Children Services, and legacy @home applicants.
- Band 3: This band encompasses social housing tenants lacking one bedroom, those the council owes a statutory homeless relief and prevention duties, and cases involving temporary accommodation.
- Band 4: This group includes various homeless categories, armed forces personnel in need, applicants for sheltered or specialist housing, Gypsies and Travellers, key workers, and applicants under mobility schemes
3. Other changes
- 16-17 Year Olds can now apply, not just care leavers as long as their current address is their sole residence, and they aren't part of anyone else's application.
- Moving to Kingston to provide care You can now apply if you are moving to the borough to care for a Kingston resident as long as you have a housing need.
- Shared Ownership You no-longer have to apply if you are interested in Shared Ownership, this has it’s own application process.
- Armed Forces Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, and those who have served in the past, and their families do not have to have 5 years residency in the borough to apply to the register.
- Safe Surrender In exceptional circumstances, we can consider a safe surrender agreement for social housing tenants where rehousing is the only way to assist.
- Adult Children in overcrowded homes If a RBK council tenant’s home is severely overcrowded we may be able to consider rehousing any adult children
- Sensitive lets: In rare cases, we need to be very careful about where we place someone, for their safety or the communities
- Removal or suspension – if applications become ineligible or no longer qualify we can remove or suspend them. There is the right to review this decision.
Re-registration every 12 months - All applications will now be asked to re-register every 12 months to maintain their application
If you are already on the register
All applicants on our housing register have been reassessed, and if required, re-banded according to the new criteria established by this policy. Everyone will receive an email detailing the process, and next steps.