South Kesteven District Council

1 1 South Kesteven District Council housing Allocation Policy 2016 2 ContentsTHE PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW OF THIS ON THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC AND DATA AND DIVERSITY ..6 MISREPRESENTATION OR WITHHOLDING TO THE ALLOCATION AND MONITORING OF THIS ALLOCATION SCHEME .. 8 THE housing REGISTER .. 8 LOCAL CONNECTION TO South IS A housing ALLOCATION?..9 WHAT IS NOT AN ALLOCATION?..9 APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE RELATED TO SKDC STAFF, SKDC STAFF AND AN APPLICATION TO JOIN THE housing CAN BE INCLUDED ON THE APPLICATION FORM?

2 10 VERIFICATIONS IS ELIGIBLE TO JOIN THE housing REGISTER? ..11 WHO MAY BE INELIGIBLE FOR AN ALLOCATION OF housing ? ..11 PERSONS SUBJECT TO IMMIGRATION CONTROL AND CERTAIN PERSONS FROM UNDER 18 YEAR S OLD EXCEPTIONAL INELIGIBLE TO JOIN THE housing REGISTER ON THE GROUNDS OF UNACCEPTABLE OUT THE UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR THE APPLICANT AND THE RIGHT TO TO ACCESS INFORMATION HELD ABOUT 14 STATEMENT ON CHOICE AND THE EXPRESSION OF OF THE housing REGISTER UP TO REVIEW OF TO THE housing REGISTER BETWEEN ANNUAL WHERE WE MAY CANCEL YOUR housing REGISTER A CANCELLED housing REGISTER FOR AN

3 ALLOCATION AT THE APPLICANT S CHANGES TO THE housing WE ASSESS AND PRIORITISE ALLOCATION BANDING BANDING SYSTEM AND REASONABLE housing A VALUABLE ADAPTED AN UNDER OCCUPIED (NON-STATUTORY)..21 DEMOLITION AND REGENERATION (CLEARANCE)..22 LEASEHOLD AND social AND social CARE NEEDS - HOW TO APPLY?..23 HEALTH AND social CARE ASSESSMENT PRIORITY: URGENT MEDICAL CRITERIA FOR BAND MEDICAL CRITERIA FOR BAND AND ACCESS: URGENT MOBILITY AND ACCESS AWARD CRITERIA FOR BAND MOBILITY AND ACCESS AWARD CRITERIA FOR BAND CARE AND OUTCOMES PROPERTY TYPE OR LOCATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF PART MAIN DUTY UNDER S190(2)(A) OF THE HER MAJESTY S ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL AND THEIR IN AND housing TO MOVE ADDITIONAL ABUSE AND PUBLIC PROTECTION.

4 THREAT OF FROM PRIORITY PRIORITY WHERE WE MAY REDUCE AN APPLICANT S PRIORITY RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO AN APPLICANT TO MEET HIS/HER housing COSTS: EQUITY AND LOCAL CONNECTION TO South BEHAVIOUR WHICH AFFECTS SUITABILITY TO BE A OF UNACCEPTABLE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN REACHING A DECISION ABOUT UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR (DEBT)..41 INFORMING THE OF LESS TO LESS SIZE OF CRITERIA - HOUSEHOLD MEMBER IS EXPECTING A WHO WILL BE RELEASING AN UNDER-OCCUPIED OR social CARE WHO NEED FOUR BEDROOMS OR A PROPERTY IS LOW TO REGISTERED OF PROPERTIES/ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE housing MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION THAT HAVE MAJOR DESIGNATED FOR OLDER CARE FUNDED FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS OF ALLOCATED AS A DIRECT PROPERTIES ARE ALLOCATION METHOD SELECTION BY AND REFUSAL OF AN APPLICANTS OWED THE MAIN

5 housing WITH PRIORITY AWARDED UNDER CATEGORY CLEARANCE OR IS A DIRECT LET?..49 DIRECT LETS ONE OFFER DIRECT LET TO AN APPLICANT LEFT IN OCCUPATION OF A SKDC PROPERTY FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF A LETTINGS POLICIES AND SECTION 106 1: GLOSSARY OF 2: South Kesteven District Council 3:..62 GROUNDS FOR POSSESSION UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR 4:..64 DEFINITION OF STATUTORY OVERCROWDING - PART X housing ACT 5: EQUITY AND ASSETS - PROCESS: REVIEW OF DECISIONS ON APPLICATIONS OR Kesteven District Council .

6 housing Allocations Policy 2016 The purpose and overview of this documentThe housing Act 1996 (Part 6), as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Localism Act 2011(the Act), requires all local authorities to have an allocation scheme for determining priorities and for defining the procedures to be followed in allocating housing purpose of this document is to set out South Kesteven District Council s (SKDC) housing allocation policy. The Allocation Policy has been drawn up having regard to SKDC s policies and strategies (most notably the Tenancy Strategy and the Lincolnshire Homelessness Strategy) and SKDC s statutory duties, which include, but are not exhaustive; housing Act 1996, Part 6 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Localism Act 2011.

7 Codes of Guidance: Allocation of Accommodation: Guidance for Local Authorities for Local housing Authorities in England (2012, DCLG) The Code Providing social housing for local people: Statutory guidance on social housing allocations for local authorities in England (DCLG, December 2013) Supplementary Code . Right to Move: Statutory Guidance on social housing allocations for local housing authorities in England (DCLG, March 2015). Regulations: Allocation of housing (Procedure) Regulations 1997, SI 1997/483 Allocation of housing (England) Regulations 2002, SI 2002/3264 Allocation of housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) Regulations 2006, SI 2006/1294 Allocation of housing (Qualification Criteria for Armed Forces) (England) Regulations 2012, SI 2012/1869 housing Act 1996 (Additional Preference for Armed Forces) (Armed Forces) (England)

8 Regulations 2012, SI 2012/2989 This Allocation policy has also been developed whilst having regard to the following legislation:Equalities Act 2010 Disabilities Discrimination Act 2005 Health and social Care Act 2012 ASB Crime and Policing Act 20146 Statement on the protection of public fundsThis authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. We participate in the Cabinet Office s anti-fraud initiative, known as the National Fraud Initiative. We may share information provided to us with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

9 The allocation of social housing via this allocation policy is considered to be the allocation of public funds. SKDC will seek to ensure that all allocations are in accordance with this policy and that applicants on the housing Register are subject to thorough verification and identity checks to minimise losses to fraud and and Data protection Any personal data provided to the Council will be managed in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1988. The Council will use this information to respond to customers and improve services.

10 The Council will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the data and information (including sensitive information) it collects and holds is protected against any unauthorised access in line with the Computer Misuse Act collate a range of data relating to housing register applications including, name, address and address history, national insurance numbers, information relating to ethnicity and gender as well as sensitive information for example relating to medical health needs. All data is held in line with our obligations under the Data Protection applications for housing accommodation will be dealt with in a confidential manner.