Policy consultation on allocation of accommodation

ALLOCATION OF ACCOMMODATION

Social housing is of enormous importance - for the millions who live in it now, and for the many more who look to social housing to provide the support they need to live safe, prosperous lives.  The Localism Act makes fundamental changes to the social housing system which seeks to make the system fairer, striking a proper balance between the needs of new and existing tenants.  Currently, many are trapped by their housing – lacking incentives to work, and often unable to move even if they want to. The Coalition Government’s reforms seek to enable principal local councils and social landlords to make social housing a springboard to success.  The Government considers that it is important that councils and social landlords seize the opportunity which these changes offer to make the best use of this precious resource, so that more people benefit from a social home when they need it and for as long as they need it.         

The Government has therefore drafted guidance on the allocation of accommodation for local housing authorities which points to the new and existing flexibilities within the allocation legislation which allow them to tailor local services to real local needs.   The guidance makes clear that the Government expects social homes to go to people who genuinely need them, such as hard working families and ex-Servicemen and women, and not to those who do not – such as people who already own a home that is suitable for them to use.  It encourages councils to adopt a modern measure of overcrowding – so families in crowded housing will find it easier to move into suitably sized homes; and it encourages housing authorities to prioritise tenants who want to downsize, helping those whose children have left home to move to smaller, more manageable properties.        

To seek broader views and input from the sector on the draft guidance, the Government (specifically Communities and Local Government) are engaging in a formal consultation on it.  Several housing authorities are already starting to introduce a new flexible approach to allocations – prioritising those who show responsibility by making an effort to find work.  This guidance steers others to follow suit. It also seeks to help authorities reward those who contribute in other ways, such as people who are looking to adopt or foster a child in need of a stable, loving family.  The consultation documents can be downloaded from the following link on the Communities and Local Government web-site

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/allocationofaccommodation .

This Communities and Local Government consultation on the Allocation of Accommodation ends in late March and the National Association will be formally responding in due course.  Since many local councils will have strong views on the draft guidance, the Association wants to give them the chance to inform its own formal response. 

County Associations and member local councils are strongly encouraged to submit their own responses to the consultation. In order to help shape our own submission we would welcome your responses by Noon on Wednesday 21 March, 2012 to chris.borg@nalc.gov.uk .  The National Association always accepts and includes responses from individual clerks and councillors (there is no expectation that responses must simply come from councils as bodies corporate).  We also understand the difficulty in responding during the month of August, but we have to operate within both consultation timings and the deadlines of Central Government Departments.