We use a banding system to identify those in the greatest housing need and to reflect the aims and objectives of our policy.
We decide which band applications will be placed in depending on the information provided in the application form.For more information on bands, please see ourAllocations Policy.
Applicants in Band A represent those with the highest housing need and those in Band E have the lowest housing need:
Band A
Band B
Band C
Band D
Band E
Band A – those with critical or urgent needs:
Critical welfare or medical awards, including emergency situations
Statutory accepted homeless applicants in severe need
Tenant Incentive Scheme (TIS) Council or RP tenants who are currently in three, four or five or larger bedroom accommodation, who wish to downsize and will release one or two bedrooms within the Gateway area of operation
Applicants with multiple needs - if someone has two or more needs in Band B, they will be moved into Band A.
Nominations - move on from specified agencies – at the discretion of the PO
Negotiated surrender of a tenancy within the Gateway area of operation
Retiring Scheme Managers in Council or RP properties where accommodation was a condition of their employment within the Gateway area of operation
Qualifying Agricultural Workers within the Gateway area of operation
Relationship breakdowns (Council properties where they are under occupying but have been assessed as having housing need) within the Gateway area of operation
Successions - Council or RP succession tenantswho are under occupying their property in the Gateway
Releasing a property in need (Council or RP properties) or where it prevents the Council or Registered Provider making expensive alterations to the property within the Gateway area of operation top
Band B – applicants with serious needs:
Statutory accepted homeless applicants
Applicants with a serious medical/welfare award
TIS council or RP tenants who are currently in one or two bedroom accommodation and who wish to downsize and will release one bedroom within the Gateway area of operation
Nominations - move on from specified agencies – at the discretion of the PO
Homelessness prevention - POs have discretion to award Band B to applicants threatened with homelessness, who are likely to lose their accommodation through no fault of their own, for which there is no legal redress, who are assessed by the particular scheme PO as likely to be in priority need and who are receiving housing advice from the particular scheme Council to prevent homelessness.
Applicants who are overcrowded in social or private rented housing within the Gateway area of operation (this does not apply to applicants who are residing in temporary accommodation and overcrowded).
Applicants who are required to leave their property as a result of an emergency prohibition order served in relation to the premises under the Housing Act 2004 within the Gateway area of operation
A prohibition order or demolition order has been served, or is about to be served in relation to the applicants dwelling by the Private Sector Team of the particular scheme Council.This indicates that the property contains one or more Category 1 Hazards that probably cannot be remedied.
An improvement notice has been, or is about to be served in relation to the applicant’s dwelling by the Private Sector Housing Team of the particular scheme Council and:
The remedies that are needed to reduce the hazard will require the property to be vacated for a significant period of time;
The cost of the remedies is beyond the means of the applicant (where applicable); or
The remedies will make the property unsuitable for occupation by the applicant.
Applicants assessed as meeting Band A criteria, but with no local connection to the Gateway area
Multiple needs - applicants with four or more needs in Band C will be moved into Band Btop
Band C – those with medium need for housing:
Moderate medical/welfare award
Applicants who are homeless or threatened with homelessness who are assessed by the PO as not being in priority need
Notice to quit – which has not been instigated by any breach of tenancy
Applicants who following a homelessness application have been deemed by the particular scheme PO to be in priority need, but intentionally homeless.
Overcrowded in social or private rented housing outside of the Gateway area of operation but with a local connection to the Gateway area
Overcrowded applicants who are living with friends or relatives
No fixed abode/sharing facilities/lacking facilities
Fixed term licensees – this applies to applicants living in supported accommodation
A hazard awareness notice has been served by the Private Sector Housing Team of the particular scheme Council, in relation to a Category 1 or 2 hazard at the applicants dwelling and:
The remedies that are needed to reduce the hazard will require the property to be vacated for a significant period of time; or
The cost of the remedies are beyond the means of the applicant (where applicable); or
The remedies will make the property unsuitable for occupation by the applicant
A suspended improvement notice or prohibition order exists but a foreseeable change in the applicants circ*mstances will cause it to become active and result in a high priority situation.
Applicants assessed as meeting Band B criteria, but with no local connection to the Gateway area of operation top
Band D – reduced preference:
Applicants assessed as meeting Band C criteria, but with no local connection to the Gateway area of operation.
Applicants with reduced preference
i) where the applicant is entitled to reasonable preference but are found to have:
Sufficient resources to buy a property on the open market
Sufficient resources to buy a property through a low-cost home ownership scheme
Sufficient resources to rent a property in the private sector
This does not apply to transfer applicants who are existing local authority or RP tenants
ii) where the applicant would be entitled to reasonable preference but the behaviour of the applicant (or member of their household) affects their suitability to be a tenant, for example:
former tenant arrears
deliberately damaging a property top
Band E – applicants who do not have a housing need
Applicants who live in a property that is adequate to meet their needs in terms of property type, size and facilities
Applicants in prison
A suspended prohibition order or improvement notice has been or will be served by the Private Sector Housing Team of the particular scheme Council, in relation to the applicants dwelling, but the criteria leading to it becoming active are not met by the applicant.
A hazard awareness notice or improvement notice has been or will be served by the Private Sector Housing Team of the particular scheme Council, in relation to the applicants dwelling, but the specified remedies are low cost and straightforward to achieve.
Applicants living in a caravan, mobile home or boat but who don’t have a housing need
Applicants in tied accommodation, but who have no other housing need top
For further information, please seeourFAQs.
