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Appendix 1 - Draft Allocation Scheme Changes
1. Introduction
1.1 This document will serve to outline the broad principles and methodology of an updated Allocation Scheme. As such this is an advisory document and subject to alteration and amendment and does not constitute the council’s final allocation scheme
1.2 The council’s current allocation scheme is long, obtusely written and inconsistent. The intricacy of the present Scheme increases the risk of the Allocation Scheme being applied inconsistently and/or inequitably.
1.3 The new Allocation Scheme will seek to simplify and streamline the housing register and housing applications by reducing the complexity that exists with the current points based Scheme.
1.4 The Allocation Scheme has been affected by the innumerable changes introduced by successive governments. This has meant the Allocation Scheme has been quite prescriptive as to who can access the housing register and the priority given to applicants. The latest amendments by the current government provide for greater freedom and flexibility to be exercised by local housing authorities.
2. Statement of policy intention
2.1 Allocation Schemes must include a statement of the Council’s policy on choice and applicant preference that must fall in line with the Equalities Act. The draft statement is as set out in paragraph 2.2.
2.2 Maidstone Borough Council Allocation Scheme is designed to treat all applicants for social housing in a fair and equitable manner. The allocation scheme is designed to offer applicants some choice in their accommodation and ability to express preference on their accommodation type and location.
2.3 The council has the challenge of encouraging individual choice and preference whilst balancing this with the broader housing needs of all applicants and the requirement for the council to offer best value in its housing services. In cases of extreme need i.e. homelessness, Maidstone Borough Council will prioritise the need for accommodation over choice. This is because the availability of social housing in Maidstone is limited and that applicants may be moved to a more suitable property faster if they are more flexible in the type or location of the property that they require.
2.4 It is likely that as part of the review of the Homelessness Strategy this year a recommendation will be made for the council to discharge its full housing duty to homeless persons via the private rented sector. This will free up social housing for housing register applicants and reduce the likelihood of collusion in order to gain access to social housing as a homeless household.
3. Structure of the Register
3.1 The current housing register works on a detailed system of points. The number of attributes that can be pointed has increased to the extent that there have been instances of applicants being pointed inconsistently and has also led to ‘points chasing’ i.e. applicant specifically altering their circumstances to get more points. This has led to an escalation in the average number of points applicants receive as applicants understand how best to gain priority. This has meant that the points homeless applicants accrue has had to be increased from 100 to 130 before they have a realistic opportunity of making a successful bid.
3.2 In order to negate ‘points chasing,’ to streamline the scheme, and to be consistent with other authorities in the Homechoice Partnership – which will allow for future partnership working or shared services – the new allocation scheme will work on a banding system. Achieving policy objectives will further be realised through a quota system. The council in consultation with housing partners will set quotas of what percentage of empty homes can be bid on by applicants categorised by their housing need. The council will operate a quota system that is flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the housing register.
3.3 When an applicant applies to go on the housing register, their application will be assessed and placed in a band. Priority within a band will be in order of the date of application to minimise the amount of time that an applicant spends on the register. If a suitable offer of accommodation is refused by an applicant, the refusal date will replace the date of application (effectively placing them at the back of the list) so as to ensure that applicants are encouraged to accept a suitable offer. Suitability is determined by bedroom size, medical or disability need, HHSRS standard, no category 1 hazards and affordability. In exceptional circumstances (ie threats of violence) location will also be considered.
3.4 There will be four bands which will cover the following and reflect the priorities of the council and the housing department:
Band A Urgent need to move due to reasonable preference;
Band B Need to move; reasonable preference and community contribution;
Band C Need to move; reasonable preference; but no community contribution;
Band D Reduced priority; need to move reasonable preference but with reduced priority.
3.5 Reasonable preference categories are defined in the Housing Act 1996 (amended by the Homelessness Act 2002) as; homeless, duty accepted, overcrowded or insanitary housing, need to move on medical/welfare grounds and need to move to prevent hardship
3.6 The council will only accept applicants who have a local connection with Maidstone Borough Council on the basis of length of residence; family associations; work, training or further education; and exceptional circumstances such as owed a homelessness duty as a result of fleeing domestic abuse or violence.
3.7 Community contribution will be a broad category that will include but not be limited to the following examples; employment (more than 16 hours a week), volunteer/charity work, membership of the Armed Forces (within the last five years), providing foster care
4 Choice Based Lettings
4.1 Properties will still be offered to applicants via choice based lettings but they will only be able to bid on properties that are offered for their band.
4.2 Applicants will still be expected to place bids. Priority will be in order of application or order of last refused offer, whichever is the most recent.
4.3 The bidding history of applicants in bands A and B will be monitored and if these applicants are not exercising the priority they have been accorded they may be offered a direct nomination. That is if a property becomes vacant outside of a bidding cycle the council may offer it to a family that is currently or about to go into temporary accommodation. This will enable the council to avoid the use of temporary accommodation.
4.4 The council will retain the discretion that if an applicant in band A or B refuses a suitable offer of accommodation the council will end the duty toward them and they will then be placed in Band D. Their priority date will be set to the date of the refusal.
5 Accessing the Register
5.1 The Council currently operates an ‘open’ register ie anyone that wishes to apply can go onto the register. This has led to a register with over 4000 households that is cumbersome, expensive to maintain and does not adequately reflect housing need within the borough. Currently, just over 50% of those on the register do not bid on properties – these applicants are clearly not in housing need.
5.2 In future the council will manage a list of active applicants who have the prerequisite housing need. The main criteria for acceptance onto the register will be having a housing need as defined by the preference categories and having a local connection. If an applicant cannot meet the existing local connection criterion then their application will be refused.
5.3 The council currently administers a large volume of applications, with 2,099 new approaches in 2011/12. As there are on average 400 vacant social housing homes each year there is a large discrepancy in the administration of the housing register and the number of people the Council is able to assist. In order to be more efficient alternative ways of allowing access to the housing register are being considered.5.4 One suggestion is in order to ensure that only those in need of social housing are kept on the register, housing applications will no longer be handed out on request. Households who want to go on the housing register will only be provided with an application form by a housing advisor at a formal interview if the housing advisor believes that the applicant is in need of social housing, as defined by the qualification to access the register and reasonable preference categories. If the housing advisor agrees, they will help the applicant complete the form and explain what supporting documentation needs to be received. The applicant will then be expected to bring these in within a week and their application will be processed.
6 Bedroom Allocation, pregnancy and children
6.1 In order to provide consistency, the allocation scheme guidelines for children sharing a room will fall into line with the new regulations governing housing benefit payments. As such, children will only be automatically entitled to their own room at the age of 16. If children are of opposite genders, they will be able to share a room up until the age of 10.
6.2 Pregnancies will only count toward bedroom need and therefore possible overcrowding within the last 12 weeks of a pregnancy. Prior to this, the pregnancy will be recorded but not provide any additional living requirements.
7 Miscellaneous
7.1 Any part of the Allocation Scheme not directly mentioned here will remain largely unchanged, or will be deleted as result of legislative and policy changes. Parts which have become obsolete or need clarification will be amended as required; however, the underlying point behind these sections will remain. These parts include the legal framework for Allocation Schemes, as well as agreements with our partners on how to handle specific cases, such as those in supported accommodation.
If you have any comments or queries regarding this or the new allocation scheme, please contact Andrew Paterson on ext 2546 or andrewpaterson@maidstone.gov.uk