Housing allocation scheme banding scheme

Last revised January 2019

• Exceptional Circumstances Band
• High Bands 1 & 2
• Medium Bands 1 & 2
• Low Bands 1 & 2

1.1 This band is for applicants where exceptional circumstances have been identified, this would involve life-threatening situations, where there is an over-riding priority on medical or social grounds and in circumstances where it is necessary to enable someone to move to release a very desirable property.

1.2 Definitions of Exceptional Circumstances

1.2.1 Applicants awaiting accessible or sheltered housing before they can be discharged from hospital.

1.2.2 Applicants whose household includes someone who has been assessed by the Council’s occupational therapist as having an exceptional need to move into an accessible property.

1.2.3 Applicants whose household includes someone with a life-threatening medical condition or care need, which is directly linked to unsuitable housing conditions.

1.2.4 Social Housing tenants who wish to move from disabled persons or mobility units which they no longer require.

1.2.5 Any case agreed by the Priority Housing Panel to have an exceptional need to move on welfare or hardship grounds. For example a major decant of a property where tenants are at risk.

2.1 The High Band is for those applicants with an urgent need to move, and have been assessed as high priority.

2.2 Additional priority within this band is given to current Portsmouth residents, who have been living in the city for five successive years or more, Portsmouth City Council tenants and PRP tenants within the city, former or serving members of the armed forces in urgent housing need, applicants owed a duty under section 189B, 193 or 195 of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) , and vulnerable applicants who are ready to move on to independent living having been given priority by a supported housing panel.

2.3 Applicants with additional priority will be placed in High Band 1 all other applicants meeting the definitions for this band will be placed in High Band 2.

2.4 Definitions of an urgent need to move

2.4.1 Social Housing Tenants who need to move because their home is about to be demolished, redeveloped or subject to major works.

2.4.2 Private Sector Tenants living in unsatisfactory housing conditions, that the council’s private sector housing team has identified as a serious risk to health and enforcement action is unable to resolve.

2.4.3 Portsmouth City Council tenants and tenants of Private Registered Providers within the city for whom management transfers have been approved. Such cases will be reviewed on a regular basis and priority will be time limited and may be restricted to certain property types and floor levels.

2.4.4 Vulnerable applicants who are ready to move on to independent living and who have been given priority by a Supported Housing Panel. This is subject to an agreed quota per year.

2.4.5 Applicants who have been assessed by the Council’s occupational therapist (OT) as having an urgent need to move to an accessible property.

2.4.6 Social Housing tenants who are under occupying a property and wish to move to a smaller property.

2.4.7 Applicants living in Portsmouth City Council properties and Private Registered Provider’s properties in Portsmouth who are entitled to succeed to a tenancy under the relevant landlord’s succession policy.

2.4.8 Applicants who are accepted as homeless under the homelessness legislation where no other housing option is available.

2.4.9 Applicants recommended by the Head of Looked After Children’s Services who wish to foster or adopt children and whose current accommodation is not large enough. Subject to an agreed quota per year.

2.4.10 Applicants who are care leavers and have been recommended for housing by the Head of Safeguarding. Subject to an agreed quota per year.

2.4.11 Applicants living in seriously overcrowded accommodation where they lack three or more bedrooms.

2.4.12 Applicants, whose household includes someone with a medical condition or a care need, which is directly linked to unsuitable housing conditions, and has been assessed as a high priority.

2.4.13 Tenants of Private Registered Providers and Council Tenants either living within or outside the Portsmouth City Council local authority boundary, that need to move to be nearer their work, or to take up an offer of work, and where failure to move would cause hardship, and there are no suitable exchanges available.

2.4.14 Households with dependent children, or vulnerable adults, who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and the homelessness cannot be prevented. All households must have a personal housing plan in place and be actively engaging with the plan.

3.1 This Medium Band is for applicants who have a significant housing need, and have been assessed as medium priority.

3.2 Additional priority within this band is given to current Portsmouth residents, who have been living in the city for five successive years or more, Portsmouth City Council tenants and PRP tenants within the city, and former or serving members of the armed forces in significant housing need.

3.3 Applicants with additional priority will be placed in Medium Band 1 all other applicants meeting the definitions for this band will be placed in Medium Band 2.

3.4 Definitions of a significant housing need.

3.4.1 Applicants whose household includes someone who has been assessed by the Council’s occupational therapist as needing to move to an accessible property.

3.4.2 Applicants living in overcrowded accommodation where they lack two bedrooms.

3.4.3 Applicants whose household includes someone with a medical condition or a care need, which is directly linked to unsuitable housing conditions, and has been assessed as a medium priority.

4.1 This band is for applicants who have an identified housing need and have been assessed as having a low priority.

4.2 Additional priority within this band is given to current Portsmouth residents, who have been living in the city for five successive years or more, Portsmouth City Council tenants and PRP tenants within the city, and former or serving members of the armed forces who have an identified housing need.

4.3 Applicants with additional priority will be placed in Low Band 1 all other applicants meeting the definitions for this band will be placed in Low Band 2.

4.4 Applicants who have deliberately worsened their housing situation or who have been found intentionally homeless will be placed in Low Band 2 with no additional priority based on residency or status as a former or serving member of the armed forces.

4.5 Definitions of an identified housing need

4.5.1 Applicants living in overcrowded accommodation where they lack one bedroom.

4.5.2 Applicants whose household includes anyone with a medical condition or a care need, which is directly linked to unsuitable housing conditions, and has been assessed as a low priority.

4.5.3 Homeless applicants who have been found intentionally homeless and no main housing duty is owed.

4.5.4 Applicants who do not meet the definition set out in 2.4.13 but are homeless or threatened with homelessness and the homelessness cannot be prevented. All applicants must have a personal housing plan in place and be actively engaging with the plan.

4.5.5 Single applicants or couples of No Fixed Abode i.e. ‘sofa surfing.’

4.5.6 Applicants who have deliberately worsened their housing situation in order to increase their priority within the allocation scheme.

4.5.7 Applicants who are currently adequately housed but living with their parents, who have been assessed by the Council’s occupational therapist (OT) as having a need to move to an accessible property and no suitable properties to meet their needs are available in the private sector.