Social housing allocations reviewed - The Worcester Observer

Social housing allocations reviewed

Worcester Editorial 5th Apr, 2020   0

A MAJOR bid to examine how social housing is allocated across south Worcestershire has been launched by Worcester City Council.

Guildhall chiefs have joined forces with colleagues in Malvern Hills and Wychavon to launch a new scheme to allocate social housing across the three districts.

The South Worcestershire Partnership will move away from Home Choice Plus, the current allocation system, and is seeking views from local people on its proposed new allocations policy.

The policy has been drawn up in consultation with a wide range of social housing providers in the region including Rooftop Housing Group and Platform Housing Group.




“The proposed allocations policy gives residents a single point of access to apply for affordable housing across Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wychavon,” said Coun James Stanley, chair of Worcester City Council’s Communities Committee.

One of the proposals under the new scheme is households which are threatened with homelessness will be eligible for the highest banding, if they are willing to work with a Housing Officer. Under the current Home Choice Plus system, the highest banding is only allocated once a household has actually become homeless.


Under the new proposals, all applicants would be able to bid on suitable available properties; under the current policy they are restricted to three bids per week.

It is also proposed social housing tenants who wish to move and who don’t use or need all of the bedrooms in their current property, would be eligible for the highest banding.

Households living in an overcrowded flat with a child under 10 would also be awarded a higher banding, under the proposals.

Applicants in the highest three bands who refuse a suitable offer of accommodation would see their priority banding reduced.

Visit www.worcester.gov.uk/voiceit for more.

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