Housing allocations policy - Who does not qualify to join the housing register?

Persons ineligible due to the application of the Government’s rules for allocating housing accommodation

Some persons are deemed ineligible due to the Government’s rules for allocating housing accommodation. This applies to certain groups of people from abroad, people subject to immigration control (unless they fall within a class prescribed by regulations as eligible) and any other person as prescribed by the Secretary of State. These households will not be able to join the Housing Register. These regulations are set out in the statutory code Allocation of accommodation: guidance for local housing authorities in England. Anyone who is impacted or believes they may be impacted by these rules can approach the Council for advice.

Persons disqualified because they have the financial means to meet their own housing need

Households deemed with sufficient income or capital to meet their own housing needs will not qualify for the Housing Register. This means that they are judged to be able to afford to house themselves, either by privately renting or buying a home of an appropriate size for their needs. 

Households with a gross income above £50,000 per year will not qualify to join the Housing Register. The incomes of all adult members above the age of 21 and seeking to be rehoused with the applicant(s) will be used to assess household income. Households with capital (savings, investments or other assets) of £16,000 or more will also not qualify. 

The Council may choose not to apply the above criteria where based on the households income/assets the applicant’s housing need/situation cannot be resolved in a reasonable period of time (for example, if their current property is likely to give rise to an imminent serious risk of harm and/or result in hospital admission) or on grounds of affordability where it is clear that the specific housing need cannot be met by the household concerned.

Persons disqualified because they own a residential property

Homeowners will only qualify to join the Scheme in exceptional circumstances with the first assessment to explore options for the applicant to remain in their own home. This could include money and debt advice, advice on funding repairs and maintenance or advice on home adaptations, including possible grant assistance. 

Where the Council concludes that it is not possible for the applicant to remain in their current home there will be an assessment of whether they can resolve their housing need(s) by moving to alternative market housing in the borough. This will be determined by assessing whether the applicants’ borrowing potential, savings, assets, equitable resources and income are sufficient for them to purchase or rent a property in the borough that will meet their needs.

The Council may choose not to apply the above criteria where the applicant’s housing need/situation cannot be resolved in a reasonable period of time (for example, if their current property is likely to give rise to an imminent serious risk of harm and/or result in hospital admission) or on grounds of affordability where it is clear that the specific housing need cannot be met by the household concerned.

Persons disqualified because they have provided false information or withheld information

Applicants who deliberately or recklessly fail to provide information that they would have been reasonably expected to provide (or where the Council obtains information that would affect their housing application) or who provide false information to fraudulently support their application will be deemed as non-qualifying persons and will be excluded from joining the housing register for a period of up to five years from the point of their initial application. Examples of this would include:

• failure to disclose criminal convictions
• failure to disclose previous or on-going anti-social behaviour
• making false statements about details of household members
• allowing, enabling or deceiving a third party to make a false statement or provide false information on the applicant’s behalf

Persons disqualified because they have committed benefit fraud

Applicants or any member of their household who have previous convictions for benefit fraud including the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 will be excluded from joining the housing register for at least five years from the date of their conviction.