Frequently Asked Questions: Housing allocations scheme

The housing allocation scheme is a policy that sets out who is eligible for affordable housing, how their housing needs will be assessed, and what relative priority their application will be given. It also determines how the housing register will operate and how social housing owned and managed by partner housing associations will be allocated and let.

Every local Council has a legal duty to publish its housing allocation scheme, as set out in current legislation. Although North Norfolk District Council transferred its housing stock, the Council retains several statutory housing obligations. One of these is the requirement to formulate, adopt and amend an allocation scheme to ensure that the assessment and allocation of housing is delivered fairly and transparently and that the available properties are allocated by levels of housing need.

By law, every local Council has to adopt a housing allocations policy, which must be published and kept under review. The last time we made any significant changes to this policy was in 2017. We are making changes to reflect the increasing demand for affordable housing and the lack of properties available for rent.

We also need to make changes to reflect changes made through new legislation and regulations, including the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the Armed Forces Covenant.

If you want to stay on the housing register, you will need to reapply and provide up-to-date information about your circumstances, including confirmation of who is living in your household, so your needs can be reassessed against the new housing allocation scheme.

Please do not contact us at this stage. We will contact you and provide regular updates on our website.

No, all applicants will be reassessed against our new housing allocations scheme. There have been changes to the qualifying local connection and housing need criteria. Some applicants may not qualify to rejoin the housing register. If you do qualify, you may have a different priority for housing than you do now.

The council will contact everyone on the housing register to advise that a new online application form needs to be completed. If you are unsure if we have the correct contact information in our system, please view and update your existing housing application.

Once you have reapplied, your application will be reassessed against the new allocations scheme.

Yes, although homelessness within the new scheme is recognised within the new banding, other things have changed, such as bedroom eligibility and the lettings process, which means you may see a difference in the size of property you can bid for. 

If you have previously provided supporting documentation, we may need to see these again or get up to date copies of some information. We will determine the supporting documentation required to assess a housing application form on a case-by-case basis. Where possible, we will make use of documentation already supplied to us.

When new information is requested, it ensures we have the most up-to-date information in our system and can properly assess each applicant's circumstances and prevent unfair disadvantage due to missing information. You will need to have your National Insurance number, details of household members and financial details.

No, there is no need to obtain another housing needs report or medical letter at this stage. If your medical condition has changed from what you previously reported, you will need to submit supporting documents. These documents should demonstrate how your condition is affecting you and how your current housing situation impacts your health.

Your housing application will be closed, and you will no longer be able to place any bids on properties that become available.

If you are currently on the housing register (PC, Band 1 and Band 2) and you qualify under the new banding scheme, your priority date will remain the same. If you are on the housing options or transfer register and, upon review of your reapplication, you are now entitled to a higher priority level. The date you submitted any required evidence will be used as your priority date.

If you are a new applicant and want to join the scheme, you will have the opportunity to apply when the new scheme goes live and will be assessed in line with the new banding criteria.

If you have an urgent housing need during this time, support is still available by contacting our Housing Options team who will be able to help.

We are currently working towards going live in the autumn.

Applicants will be contacted and invited to reapply to the new register.

Once applicants have reapplied under the new scheme, there will be a period during which you will not be able to bid for properties. It will enable all applicants time to reapply and will ensure nobody is unfairly disadvantaged during the bidding process.

If you do not qualify or are not eligible to join the register, you will be offered advice and assistance to pursue other rehousing solutions. For example, if you are already a housing association tenant who is adequately housed but would still like to transfer, you can register with schemes such as HomeSwapper or House Exchange, mutual exchange sites or existing social housing tenants.

We will be dealing with a high volume of applicants once the new scheme is introduced. We will aim to get back to you as soon as possible once we have received any supporting documents. We will contact you to let you know whether you are eligible. If you are the letter or email will include your banding details and the property and bedroom size entitlement.

The bedroom standard has changed with the new scheme. Previously, we allowed each person 16 years and over to have their own bedroom. This age has now changed to 21 years and over. We have followed the government's allocation of accommodation guidance when implementing this policy.

Firstly, make sure that all the information that you have provided is accurate. If there is any additional information we have not taken into consideration, or if your circumstances have changed, please update your application.

Applicants have the right to request a review within 21 days of being told that they do not qualify to join the housing register or because their priority band has changed.

If you are currently under offer, the change in scheme will not affect the offer. 

You don't need to do anything. Your application will remain closed if you do not complete a new application or contact us.