Apply for a council house

• People with a local connection to the area
• People assessed as having a housing need
• People who do not own a property anywhere else which could be used as a home or sold to pay for a home
• No-one in the household has been guilty of unacceptable behaviour
• Extra priority is given to people who have made a contribution to the community 

Band one - exceptional housing need

• homeless households owed a full homeless duty by the city council
• people with a serious medical conditional or a disability, and living in unsuitable housing
• people who need to move for health and safety reasons, including people suffering abuse, violence or harassment
• people who need three bedrooms more than they have available to them

Band two - high housing need

• people who need two bedrooms more than they have available to them
• people who need to move because of a medical condition or disability and have been assessed as having a high-priority need
• people who are ready to move on from supported accomodation and approved premises, including those leaving care
• people who qualify for a tenancy via discretionary succession

Band three - medium housing need

• people who are homeless, but where investigations are not yet finished
• people who need to take up (or continue) employment, education or a training opportunity that is not available elsewhere and who do not live within reasonable commuting distance
• people experiencing financial hardship as a result of changing circumstances beyond their control
• people who need to access social services facilities and are unable to travel across the city
• those who need to move to give or receive care that is substantial and ongoing
• people who need one more bedroom than they have available to them
• people whose household includes someone with a medical condition or disability which is linked to unsuitable housing
• people who live in accomodation which is bigger than they need
• people eligible for older people's accomodation - including sheltered housing and extra care provision

Band four - low housing need

• all applicants who do not meet the community contribution criteria but who meet one or more of the following
• welfare grounds
• hardship
• medical grounds - given a medium priority for medical assessment
• council tenants who are under-occupying by one bedroom
• households interested in retirement properties with no other housing need
• overcrowding - short by one bedroom

You will not be considered for a council property if:

• you are ‘subject to immigration control’ (unless you fall within a class prescribed by regulations as eligible)
• ​you are not subject to immigration control, but are prescribed by regulation as being ‘persons from abroad’ (this may include British citizens)
• any person as prescribed by the Secretary of State. 
• you (or a member of your household) have been guilty of ‘unacceptable behaviour’ and at the time of your application for housing you are still considered unsuitable to be a tenant because of that behaviour
  • Unacceptable behaviour’ is defined as behaviour which would, if you or member of your household was a tenant, legally entitle a landlord to take possession of the home
• Unacceptable behaviour includes:
  • owing significant rent arrears or failing to comply with a current or past tenancy agreement with a council, registered providers or private landlord to such an extent a court would grant a possession order
  • conviction as a result of illegal or immoral purpose 
  • causing nuisance and annoyance to neighbours or visitors  
  • committing certain criminal offences in or near the home and still posing a threat to neighbours or the community 
  • being violent towards a partner or members of the family 
  • allowing the condition of the property to deteriorate 
  • obtaining the tenancy by deception (for example, by giving untrue information) 

Apply for a council house