Criteria Points Transfer Housing Association Waiting List Homeless Applicants who are resident in the borough or who are granted an exception under non residence criteria 100 x X X x Opposite sex overcrowding; where two people of the opposite sex have to share a bedroom and one is 10 years or older (unless they are over 16 and living as a couple. 10 X X x DOT (except those in reception centres) Where there is more than one occurrence additional points will be given per occurrence 5 X X x DOT (except those in reception centres) For each additional bedroom required. 20 X X x DOT (except those in reception centres) Additional points for households lacking 2 or more bedrooms. 30 X X x DOT (except those in reception centres) Sharing or lacking access to facilities i.e. cooking facilities, hot or cold water or toilet. 10 X X x DOT (except those in reception centres) Medical needs 40, 80, 150 X X X x Welfare 40, 80, 150 X X X x Islington key workers scheme. 90 x Islington care leavers 90 x Discretionary succession 150 x Children’s Services 150 or 200 X X X x New Generation scheme: 1 Beds 2 Beds Where an NGS applicant has a disability 20 90 20 x
Statutory homeless 10.40,70 or 100 x Decants 100 or 200 X Major works 60 or 120 X Management transfers 60 or 120 X Relationship breakdown 50 X Under occupying social housing tenants – points per bedroom under occupying. Under occupying tenants in two bedroom properties. Under occupation dependents 80 150 100 X x X x x All applicants will receive 5% of their total housing needs points for each year on the list starting from the week that housing needs points are added to an application – residence and waiting time points are not included. For homeless applicants this will be from the date of application. *except those in reception centres x x x x Choice based lettings Islington Council operates a choice based lettings scheme (CBL) called Home Connections. As far as possible all council, housing association, co-op managed and tenant management organisation (TMO) properties are allocated through this scheme. There are exceptions such as sheltered housing. The council may refuse bids from applicants if the property does not meet their assessed housing need or to avoid any potential risk to the applicants or others. Who can bid? The council will set thresholds for the points above which applicants will be able to bid and may set annual quotas for applicants in local priority categories. These will be established for each bedroom size and will be reviewed annually by the Service Director of Housing Needs and Strategy based on supply and demand levels. How to Bid
Direct In certain circumstances the council may make a direct offer of suitable accommodation outside of the CBL scheme in circumstances where in its discretion it considers it is necessary or appropriate to house a registered applicant otherwise than through the choice based lettings process. This includes: Applicants who need to move urgently so that repair or redevelopment work can be completed. Applicants living in a property larger than they need and the property be used to house another household in housing need. Where adult sons and daughters are living in the property and are not moving to the smaller property, the council may also make them a direct offer of a property to meet their assessed needs at the same time. Applicants who have been assessed as needing Sheltered Housing. Where the council has agreed to provide accommodation under the National Witness Mobility Scheme, the Safe and Secure Programme or the North London Domestic Violence protocol or pan London Domestic Violence protocol. It is in the council’s strategic interests to move an applicant or it helps the council manage the housing stock more effectively or efficiently. Bidding and Offers Property type Ground floor flats, street properties, houses and maisonettes and properties that are suitable for adaptation are in very short supply. The Council will ensure that the few that do become available are available to those in most need of them. Applicants may be selected for these properties on the basis of an assessed need for this property type, not on the basis of applicants’ preferences. This applies equally to Council tenants and other applicants for rehousing. Sensitive lettings The council reserves the right to participate in sensitive lettings where it is considered to be necessary for the effective management of the stock. A sensitive letting will take account of the needs of the applicant and other residents. Applicants in supported housing Applicants in supported housing may be restricted from bidding until they have been assessed as being capable of independent living. They may also be considered for accommodation in the private sector. Lettings to older applicants There are blocks in the borough which are designated for lettings to older applicants. Offers in these blocks will be made in accordance with the allocation policy but only to older people.