Summary of changes

Local Connection

A local connection will be awarded where the applicant:

Has lived in Bassetlaw for a continuous period of 2 years as their main home.

or

Where the applicant has not lived in the Bassetlaw District Council area for a continuous period of 2 years, but has a close relative who has lived in the Bassetlaw area for a continuous period of 2 years, as their main home.  (Close relative is a spouse, parent, child or sibling.)

A local connection will be awarded where the applicant:

Has lived in Bassetlaw for a continuous period of 5 years as their main home.

Has not lived in the Bassetlaw District Council area for a continuous period of 5 years, but has a close relative who has lived in the Bassetlaw area for a continuous period of 5 years. (Close relative is a spouse, parent, child or sibling).

Employment

A local connection will be awarded where the applicant:

Has been continuously employed in the Bassetlaw District Council area for a period of one year.

or

Has an offer of employment which will last for more than one year.

There is currently no local connection policy for employment in the Bassetlaw area.

Armed Forces Personnel

The applicant will be awarded a Band A Priority if they are currently serving in HM Forces or have previously served in HM Forces and have an identified housing need.

Bassetlaw District Council will not apply any local connection criteria to applicants (as above) who have served in HM Forces or are currently serving in HM Forces and wish to reside in the Bassetlaw District Council area.

The applicant is allocated:

Band C

A member of the Armed Forces or former service personnel and the application is made within 5 years of discharge; or

A bereaved spouse or civil partners of a member of the Armed Forces leaving Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner; or

A serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of a serious injury or medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service

The applicant must have:

a close family connection in Bassetlaw District Council area or was enlisted from the Bassetlaw District Council area, or

Band D

The applicant does not have a local connection with the Bassetlaw area but wishes to reside in the Bassetlaw area.

Banding

Applicants currently in:

• Band D
• Band E
• Band F

Will be amalgamated into two bands. The Bands will be called:

Band D – All Other Applicants with a local connection

Band E – All Other Applicants without a local connection 

Band D – Applicants with a LOW housing need.

Band E – Applicants who meet the local connection criteria.

Owner Occupiers

Applicants wo do not live in the Bassetlaw area but have local connection

Band F – All Other Applicants who do not live in the Bassetlaw area and do not have a local connection.

Care Leavers

Care Leavers, age 16 to 25, who are the responsibility of Nottinghamshire County Council with an identified housing need will be awarded Band B, in line with the Joint Nottinghamshire-wide Care Leaver Agreement.

Care Leavers who have not been allocated accommodation in Band B after two months, and have been actively bidding, will be awarded a Band A priority. 

No specific Band for Care Leavers.

Care leavers can be awarded Band B7 ‘Duties under the Children’s Act 1989’ following request by Nottinghamshire County Council.

Owner Occupiers

Owner Occupiers will not be allowed on the housing register unless they have an identified housing need.

Owner Occupiers will be subject to a financial assessment when they submit a housing application to determine if they have the financial resources to resolve their housing need with the wider housing market.  This assessment will consider all financial resources, including equity and whether this is enough to secure their own housing.

Owner Occupiers allowed onto the housing register will not have to provide confirmation of sale/intended or repossession of their property before allocation of council accommodation.

Band E – Owner Occupiers

Owner occupiers who currently own or have a financial interest in a residential property are placed in Band E (unless assessed for Band A priority or Band B medical need).

Where a property is to be allocated to an owner occupier, confirmation of sale/intended sale, or repossession of the property must be supplied in writing. 

Financial Assessment

An offer of accommodation may be withdrawn if it is clear that the prospective tenant has insufficient resources to be able to pay the rent and household bills.

Downsizing Accommodation

Council tenants wishing to downsize accommodation will be awarded Band A priority, enabling Bassetlaw District Council to make maximum use of its housing stock.

An applicant is awarded Band B priority where they are an existing Bassetlaw District Council tenant, and by moving, they would release at least one bedroom.

Amalgamation of Band Criteria

Merge Band A2 and Band A3 into one band:

Band A – Major Property Factors

Merge Band A4 & A6 into one category:

Band A – Urgent Social Priority

Band A2 – Statutory unfit for Human Habitation

Band A3 – Statutorily Overcrowded

Band A4 – Immediate Threat of Severe Violence or threat to life

Band A6 – Emergency Circumstances

Releasing a Property with Substantial Adaptations

A Bassetlaw District Council tenant may be given Band A priority status when they

Are occupying a property that was specifically built or substantially adapted for a person with a disability and the accommodation is no longer needed.

 or

has succeeded to the tenancy of a property which was specifically built or substantially adapted for a person with a disability, and they do not need this accommodation.

An Applicant may be given Band B priority status when:

A tenant is occupying a Bassetlaw District Council property that was specifically built or substantially adapted for a person with a disability and the accommodation is no longer needed.

A tenant has succeeded to the tenancy of a Bassetlaw District Council property that was specifically built or substantially adapted for a person with a disability, and they do not need this accommodation.

Adaptations

A8 - A need for a substantially adapted property  

This Band will be given where the applicant has been awarded Band ‘A’ medical priority, and needs a substantially adapted property.

Applicants in this Band may be direct matched to enable Bassetlaw District Council to make best use of the facilities in the adapted property.

Additional criteria will be added to Band B.

Band B - A need for a substantially adapted property

This Band will be given where the applicant has been awarded a Band ‘B’ medical priority and needs a substantially adapted property.

Applicants in this Band may be direct matched to enable Bassetlaw District Council to make best use of the facilities in the adapted property. 

A8 - A need for a substantially adapted property. 

They are unable to reach essential facilities in their home and a move to a different property would solve these problems.

They are unable to get in or out of their current home without severe difficulty.

Medical Panel

Older Person Designated Accommodation.

Applicants aged under 60 assessed by Medical Panel as needing ground floor accommodation will be automatically eligible to bid for Older Person designated accommodation.

Older Person Designated Accommodation.

Applicants aged under 60 assessed by Medical Panel as needing ground floor accommodation can bid for certain property types of Older Person designated accommodation, if agreed and stipulated by the Medical Panel.

Families

An applicant will be classed as a family when 26 weeks pregnant (proof will be required).

Proof of birth required to activate family eligibility.

Re-registration after re-housing

Able to re-apply immediately after being rehoused but will not be allocated alternative accommodation until after 12 months, and only where there is an identified housing need e.g.

• larger accommodation
• smaller accommodation
• change in medical circumstances.
• to provide / or receive care.

Able to re-apply immediately after being rehoused irrespective of housing need but will not be allocated alternative accommodation until after 12 months.

Homeless Relief

Applicants owed the Relief Duty under S189B of the Housing Act 1996.

Band B priority will be given to applicants who have been accepted to be in priority need and not intentionally homeless, who are eligible for assistance and threatened with homelessness, and who have a priority need for accommodation.

No Present Banding

Homeless

Prevention

Homeless Prevention and Relief (no priority need).

Applicants who are owed a Prevention or Relief Duty under the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 but do not have a priority need will be awarded Band C.

No Present Banding