11. To enable applicants more choice Households are able to apply for Due to increasing need and Current and proposed changes to the accommodation up to two bedrooms managing customer expectations bedroom rules seek to maximise of accommodation options on the Housing Register, households will less than they are eligible for, households are able to for occupancy. Allowing families the be able to choose to apply for providing it does not create statutory accommodation with one less opportunity to apply for overcrowding. bedroom than they are eligible for to accommodation with one less accommodation with one less bedroom than they are eligible for. prevent severe overcrowding. bedroom than they are currently Families with children also cannot eligible for, gives them a better apply for one bedroom chance to secure an offer of accommodation. How? accommodation Any household identified on the Housing Register who is able to The proposed change seeks to apply for one less bedroom will have minimise overcrowding whilst still their bedroom eligibility adjusted and giving families an element of choice. notified in writing. There will be however still be occasions where households will not be able to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom, for example, where a family have been awarded overcrowding priority as this would result in moving to like for like accommodation. 12. Families with children are not able to To enable applicants more choice Families with 1 child aged 2 years It is not unreasonable for families apply for one bedroom of accommodation options on the and under are able to choose to with 1 child under 3 years to resolve accommodation. Housing Register and to reduce apply for 1 and 2 bedroom their immediate housing predicament accommodation. to move to 1 bedroom the pressure on the demand for 2 bedroom accommodation, accommodation to prevent families with 1 child aged 2 years homelessness. and under will be able to choose How? to apply for one bedroom Any household identified on the This may enable them to secure accommodation Housing Register who is able to accommodation quicker as there downsize will have bedroom were 472 lettings of 1 bedroom flats eligibility adjusted and notified in in 2015-16. This accounted for 32% writing. of all lettings. The change would allow circa 928 families with 1 child under 3 years
11. To enable applicants more choice of accommodation options on the Housing Register, households will be able to choose to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are eligible for. Households are able to apply for accommodation up to two bedrooms less than they are eligible for, providing it does not create statutory overcrowding. Families with children also cannot apply for one bedroom accommodation. Due to increasing need and managing customer expectations households are able to for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are eligible for to prevent severe overcrowding. How? Any household identified on the Housing Register who is able to apply for one less bedroom will have their bedroom eligibility adjusted and notified in writing. Current and proposed changes to the bedroom rules seek to maximise occupancy. Allowing families the opportunity to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom than they are currently eligible for, gives them a better chance to secure an offer of accommodation The proposed change seeks to minimise overcrowding whilst still giving families an element of choice. There will be however still be occasions where households will not be able to apply for accommodation with one less bedroom, for example, where a family have been awarded overcrowding priority as this would result in moving to like for like accommodation. 12. To enable applicants more choice of accommodation options on the Housing Register and to reduce the pressure on the demand for 2 bedroom accommodation, families with 1 child aged 2 years and under will be able to choose to apply for one bedroom accommodation Families with children are not able to apply for one bedroom accommodation. Families with 1 child aged 2 years and under are able to choose to apply for 1 and 2 bedroom accommodation. How? Any household identified on the Housing Register who is able to downsize will have bedroom eligibility adjusted and notified in writing. It is not unreasonable for families with 1 child under 3 years to resolve their immediate housing predicament to move to 1 bedroom accommodation to prevent homelessness. This may enable them to secure accommodation quicker as there were 472 lettings of 1 bedroom flats in 2015-16. This accounted for 32% of all lettings. The change would allow circa 928 families with 1 child under 3 years
Scrutiny%20Report%20%20Review%20of%20Housing%20Allocations%20Policy%20Proposals%20June%202016%20V2%205.docx