Housing Allocations Scheme 2023

We recently published the draft Housing Allocation Scheme and asked for views on some of the key proposed changes as part of the second consultation process. The draft Housing Allocation Scheme was developed following the early resident engagement conducted by NewmanFrancis and our first consultation. These were the key proposed changes we asked you about in the second consultation:

• Should annual waiting points be awarded to residents on the Housing Register
• Should annual waiting points be a set amount (10 points) or a percentage (10%) of someone’s points
• Should we introduce the chain lettings approach whereby we create opportunities for multiple moves to be triggered from an initial vacant property
• Do you believe that having bands for priority points will help make rehousing priorities clearer
• Should greater priority be given for homeless families who choose a private rented sector (PRS) home instead of moving into or remaining in temporary accommodation
• Those who opposed a greater priory for people moving to the PRS were asked if the priority should be the same or less compared to those in temporary accommodation
• Should we remove paid work points for new applications, and should those who already have paid work points be able to keep them
• Should we have quotas/a percentage of homes that we will try to let to specific priority groups instead of using the separate Rehousing Plan
• Were residents aware of the separate Rehousing Plan prior to the consultation

The survey closed on 16 February 2023, and we received 103 responses.

• Over 80% of residents either strongly support or support the proposal to award annual waiting points. 13% either strongly oppose or oppose this proposal.
• 50% of respondents thought that waiting points should be set at 10 points, and 37% thought they should be a percentage of someone’s current points.
• Almost two thirds (65%) of respondents either strongly support or support the introduction of the chain lettings approach, 17% neither support nor oppose the proposal, and 16% of residents do not support this approach.
• In terms of having a combined bands and points system, 62% of respondents support or strongly support this, 14% neither support nor oppose this proposal, and 23% of residents do not support this proposal.
• In terms of whether greater priority should be awarded for homeless families who choose a PRS home instead of moving into or remaining in temporary accommodation, 40% of residents support this proposal, 42% do not support this idea, and 17% neither support nor oppose this idea.
• Of those residents who opposed a greater priority for people moving to the PRS, 56% said the priority should be the same as for those in temporary accommodation, 33% said the priority should be less, and 11% did not answer.
• In terms of the proposal to discontinue paid work points for new applicants, 42% of residents support this, 35% oppose this, and 23% either do not support or oppose this, or did not answer.
• 63% of respondents believe that existing applicants should keep the paid work points they currently have, 23% said they should not, and 14% did not know or did not answer.
• 61% of residents support the introduction of quotas and special rehousing pathways, 11% of residents oppose this, and 28% had no view or did not answer.
• 64% of residents were unaware of the Rehousing Plan prior to the consultation, and only 36% were aware of this.

The feedback from the consultation has helped us to finalise the new Housing Allocation Scheme. This will be going to the Council’s Leadership Team on 12 April 2023 for approval.

During the consultation, residents expressed a preference for waiting points, the chain lettings approach, a combined bands and points system, discontinuing paid work points for new applicants only, and the introduction of quotas and special rehousing pathways. The revised Housing Allocation Scheme includes these key changes.