Council proposes new social housing allocations policy

The changes include giving “high priority to young families” and are now going to a public consultation

A “shake up” in the way families are prioritised for social housing in the borough is being proposed by Haringey Council.

A public consultation is set to be launched on a new housing allocations policy used to decide how council homes are allocated to people on the housing register.

Under the proposals, higher priority would be given to young families over those with adult non-dependent children, which the council says reflects the outcome of workshops with applicants to help shape the revised scheme.

Band B would be renamed ‘high priority’ and split into two with a higher priority for those with dependent children and young people aged 22 and below, as well as those who receive or give significant care.

The council says it also wants to support residents to move into new, suitable council homes as quickly as possible by introducing auto-bidding for those who are near the top of the housing register but have not bid for a new home directly themselves.

Other recommendations include releasing more family homes by boosting the priority of under-occupiers who decide to move to a smaller property.

Sarah Williams, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “We are responding to a worsening housing crisis which has led to record homelessness applications and a waiting list for a council home reaching more than 13,000.

“While we have one of the biggest housebuilding efforts in London, delivering hundreds of new social homes each year, we must ensure these as well as our existing stock are allocated fairly and to those who need them most.

“That’s why we have been engaging with residents over the past year on a number of changes to the allocation rules and are now going to formal consultation.

“We believe the recommendations in this report such as giving a high priority to young families is a major step towards a fairer future for housing in Haringey and I would encourage as many people as possible to have their say.”

Once launched the consultation will be available to access online:
Visit haringey.gov.uk/council-elections/have-your-say/consultations

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