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Housing provision - overviewApplications and allocations

An allocation is when a local authority:

  • selects a person to be a secure or introductory tenant of accommodation held by it

  • nominates a person to be a secure or introductory tenant of accommodation held by another person

  • nominates a person to be an assured tenant of accommodation held by a registered provider of social housing

    • Accommodation can only be allocated to eligible persons and the procedure for decision making is set out in the allocation scheme, published free of charge to any member of the public requesting it. The allocation scheme identifies how competing priorities are treated in the process.

    Local housing authorities are required to give reasonable preference to certain applicants such as those who are homeless, those with a disability and those in overcrowded conditions.

    Housing benefit

    Housing benefit is payable to those who are:

  • paying rent, and

  • on a low income, and

  • have savings/investments below a certain level

    • The maximum housing benefit payable is eligible rent, including rent and service charge, but it does not include water rates or similar household bills.

    Rent

    Local authorities are entitled to decide reasonable charges for the tenancy or occupation of their houses, balancing the interests of their tenants against the interests of their ratepayers as a whole. Authorities have the power to vary rents after giving notice.

    Local authorities also have regard to their duty to prevent a debit on the housing revenue account and the level of subsidy available to them.

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