Written notification to all remaining applicants who are owner occupiers advising of their removal from the Housing Register with a right of appeal. As at 01/04/2016 the number of owner occupiers on the Housing Register: 4. Removal of applicants with sufficient financial resources to secure alternative accommodation from the Housing Register Since 10th August 2015 households with a total income of £25k per year (single household) or £40k per year (joint households) or capital assets of over £50k are not allowed to join the Housing Register. To extend the rules to those with sufficient financial resources whose application date preceded 10th August 2015. This would not require further external consultation as this was done when the decision was taken to not accept people who had the financial resources to secure alternative accommodation onto the Housing Register. How? Written notification to all remaining applicants review, advising there is now a threshold for earnings and savings and financial checks will be undertaken at point of offer. The change would remove the complexity of rules that are different due to the date the applicant applied. This would make the policy more easily understood. would also be equality in the transparency of the policy that all applicants are treated the same. Removing existing applicants who exceed the financial thresholds may also help to reduce the number of council properties purchased under the Right to Buy scheme. Current rules allow any public sector tenant who has been a tenant for 3 or more years at any point to qualify to buy the home they currently live in if it is eligible for Right to Buy.
awarded to families living in 1 bed accommodation with their children who need an additional bedroom. Band 3 ‘Overcrowding’ is awarded to those who are lacking 1 bedroom. Band 3 ‘Overcrowding’ is awarded to tenants who need 1 additional bedroom e.g. a family living in 2 bedroom accommodation needing 3 bedroom accommodation. How? Any household identified on the Housing Register as being overcrowded will be re-assessed under the new rules and where there is any change to their priority they will be notified in writing. 7. Addition of a new banding priority to non-tenants who are living with others and do not have sufficient bedrooms for their own use People who are non-tenants i.e. lodgers or living with friends or family are treated the same as tenants when assessing overcrowding. No checks are undertaken to verify or confirm the position of joining the Housing Register and receiving this high priority. Creation of a new Band 3 priority for people who are non-tenants who are living with others and do not have sufficient bedrooms for their own use. How? Any applicant who is not a tenant and does not have exclusive use of bedrooms for their household will be placed in this band. Existing applicants who are will be re-assessed under the new rules and where there is any change to their priority they will be notified in writing. This would currently impact on 354 households who are non-tenants and awarded Band 2 ‘Severe Overcrowding’ priority. They would be re-assessed to the new Band 3 priority. Non-tenants who have been given notice to leave or assessed as living in insecure accommodation will be considered for Band 2 ‘Insecure Accommodation’ priority. Statutory homeless households will be re-housed in the private sector unless they fall in one of the exceptions in this category. 8. Reconfiguration of the banding priorities Currently there are 3 different priorities given to social tenants who are under-occupying their homes. To only have one Band 1 ‘Priority Under-occupation’ category which is given to under-occupying social This will make the policy on clearer by only having
11. To enable applicants more choice of accommodation options on the Housing Register, households will be able to choose to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are eligible for. Households are able to apply for accommodation up to two bedrooms less than they are eligible for, providing it does not create statutory overcrowding. Families with children also cannot apply for one bedroom accommodation. Due to increasing need and managing customer expectations households are able to for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are eligible for to prevent severe overcrowding. How? Any household identified on the Housing Register who is able to apply for one less bedroom will have their bedroom eligibility adjusted and notified in writing. Current and proposed changes to the bedroom rules seek to maximise occupancy. Allowing families the opportunity to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are currently eligible for, gives them a better chance to secure an offer of accommodation The proposed change seeks to minimise overcrowding whilst still giving families an element of choice. There will be however still be occasions where households will not be able to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom, for example, where a family have been awarded overcrowding priority as this would result in moving to like for like accommodation. 12. To enable applicants more choice of accommodation options on the Housing Register and to reduce the pressure on the demand for 2 bedroom accommodation, families with 1 child aged 2 years and under will be able to choose to apply for one bedroom accommodation Families with children are not able to apply for one bedroom accommodation. Families with 1 child aged 2 years and under are able to choose to apply for 1 and 2 bedroom accommodation. How? Any household identified on the Housing Register who is able to downsize will have bedroom eligibility adjusted and notified in writing. It is not unreasonable for families with 1 child under 3 years to resolve their immediate housing predicament to move to 1 bedroom accommodation to prevent homelessness. This may enable them to secure accommodation quicker as there were 472 lettings of 1 bedroom flats in 2015-16. This accounted for 32% of all lettings. The change would allow circa 928 families with 1 child under 3 years
Leaving Residential Care People to leave residential care supported by Leicester City Council and/or NHS. Care Package People with a care package Adult Social Care (LCC) assess that a move will assist independent living. Medium Medical People whose current housing conditions are having a negative affect on the physical or mental health of the applicant or a member of their household. Leaving Armed Forces People leaving the armed forces within the last 5 years but do not have a home to return to. Band 3 Adult Leaving Care People identified by Adult Social Care as ready to leave the care of family or carer 2818 Single NFA Single people who have no settled accommodation and are of ‘no fixed abode’. Care &Support Medical Families needing to move to a particular area of Leicester where hardship would be caused if they do not move. Overcrowded Household Families who are living in overcrowded conditions under Leicester City Council’s overcrowding standard (one bedroom short of their assessed need). Working Households Working households or those in local training schemes who need to move closer to their job/training scheme Band 4 Sharing Facilities People who share facilities with other households but have their own bedroom. 2191 Care & Support Emotional People who need to move to, or remain in, a particular area of Leicester to give or receive emotional support from family, friends or others in the community. Sheltered Accommodation People over the age of 50 years requesting 1 bedroom sheltered accommodation only. Band 5* All Other Applicants People who do not have any of the housing circumstances listed in bands 1, 2, 3 and 4. 2597 * With effect from 1st May 2014 no new applicants are accepted into Band 5 Appendix 4 Proposed Banding Table Band Summary Descriptions (Reason) Household Circumstances Expected Number of Households in Proposed Bands (based on waiting list as at 01/04/2016) Band 1 Referred Case People in need of urgent re-housing and referred by Adult Social Care or Children’s Services. Compulsory Homeloss People in need of urgent re-housing properties are directly affected by public redevelopment programmes.
Care & Support People needing to move to a particular area of Leicester where hardship would be caused if they do not move and people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds. Overcrowded Household (tenants) Tenants who are living in overcrowded conditions under Leicester City Council’s overcrowding standard (one bedroom short of their assessed need). Overcrowded Household (non-tenants) Non-tenants living in overcrowded circumstances Sheltered Accommodation People over the age of 50 requesting 1 bedroom sheltered accommodation only. Working Households Working households or those in local training schemes who need to move closer to their job/training scheme
Appendix 5 Bench Marking with Neighbouring Local Authorities Local Authority Number of Bands in Allocations Scheme Bedroom Rules Do people with no housing need or low need qualify to go on the Housing Register? Derby City Council 2 Adult/Children of the same sex are expected to share a bedroom (no upper age limit) No Nottingham City Council 5 Adult/Children of the same sex are expected to share a bedroom up to the age of 20 years No Northampton Borough Council 3 of the same sex are expected to share a bedroom up to the age of 20 years No