If you do not have a confirmed Housing Need, you will not be able to join the Housing Register.

If you are eligible to join the register you can submit your housing application.

Once all of the evidence has been received and the application has been reviewed you will be placed in 1 of 3 Housing Need Bands:

  • If you have a Housing Need your application will be placed in Band 3
  • If you have a High Housing Need your application will be placed in Band 2
  • If you have an Emergency Housing Need your application will be placed in Band

Band 3 – Housing Need

Overcrowding, Disrepair or other Poor Housing Conditions

For example:

  • Your home is overcrowded
  • Your home has significant disrepair issues
  • Your home does not have an indoor toilet.

Medical or Mobility Need

For example:

  • You have mobility problems and need to move to a ground floor property
  • You have a mental health condition that is affected by your current home
  • You need an extra bedroom for medical reasons.

Welfare or Hardship Need

For example:

  • You are suffering from ongoing anti-social behaviour
  • You need to move closer to relatives to give or receive support
  • Your home is unaffordable.

Homeless or at Risk of Homelessness

For example:

  • You are at risk of becoming homeless in the next 56 days
  • You are homeless and do not have a “priority need”
  • You are homeless and became homeless “intentionally”.

Applications are placed in Band 3 for an initial period of 12 months. After this period a reassessment will be completed to confirm whether your circumstances have changed, whether you still have a housing need and whether you still qualify for the Housing Register.

Band 2 – High Housing Need

Ready for “Move-On”

For example:

  • You live in a Supported Accommodation scheme and are ready to move to independent accommodation
  • You live in Local Authority Care and are ready to move to independent accommodation.

Management Need

For example:

  • You live in a Council or Registered Provider property and are applying to downsize to smaller accommodation
  • You live in a Council or Registered Provider property that has significant disabled adaptations that you no longer need
  • You live in a Council or Registered Provider property that has been re-designated
  • You have succeeded to a Council or Registered provider tenancy following the death of a relative but cannot remain in the property (e.g. because the property is too large for your household).

Applications are placed in Band 2 for an initial period of 16 weeks. If your application is placed in Band 2 and you do not bid for suitable properties that are advertised during the initial 16 weeks, your application will be reassessed and moved down to Band 3.

Band 1 – Emergency Housing Need

Dangerous or Hazardous Housing Conditions

For example:

  • Your home is “statutorily overcrowded”
  • Your home has disrepair issues that have been classified as unsafe and that pose an imminent risk of significant harm
  • Your home is due to be demolished.

Emergency Medical or Mobility Need

For example:

  • You have a serious medical condition and are in hospital and cannot be discharged because your accommodation is unsuitable (e.g. because you cannot access the toilet or bathing facilities in the property)
  • You have a serious medical condition and urgently need to move because your accommodation is unsuitable (e.g. because you cannot access the toilet or bathing facilities in the property)
  • You have a serious medical condition and urgently need to move to accommodation that has significant disabled adaptations (e.g. wheelchair standard accommodation).

Emergency Welfare or Hardship Need

For example:

  • You are suffering violence or threats of violence that are likely to be carried out
  • You are suffering severe harassment or severe discriminatory harassment
  • You are suffering domestic, physical, sexual or financial abuse.

Homeless Duty

For example:

  • You are homeless and are owed the Main Housing Duty under Section 193(2) of the Housing Act 1996 by Charnwood Borough Council
  • You are homeless and are owed the Accommodation Duty under Section 193C(4) of the Housing Act 1996 by Charnwood Borough Council. 

Applications are placed in Band 1 for an initial period of 8 weeks.

If your application is placed in Band 1 and you do not bid for suitable properties that are advertised during the initial 8 weeks, the Council may place bids on your behalf until an offer of a suitable property is made.

If you refuse an offer of a suitable property, your application will be reassessed and moved down to Band 3.

Last updated: Thu 12th January, 2023 @ 16:23