Apply for social housing

Step 3: find out your priority for housing

If your application is successful, we'll contact you to let you know which priority band fits your circumstances and then you can start looking for a home.

We use priority bands to compare the needs of customers on our housing register.

Applicants are shortlisted according to:

  1. The priority band your application has been given
  2. If you currently live within the borough or have a strong local connection
  3. The length of time you've been waiting in a particular priority band

Band A: highest need

You're likely to be in Band A if you:

  • Have a serious medical condition.
  • Are at serious risk of harm - for example, domestic violence, racial and hate crime, severe harassment
  • Are facing imminent discharge from hospital or a specialist provision.
  • Are threatened with homelessness where the council would have a statutory duty to rehouse.
  • Are homeless and we have a statutory duty to provide housing.
  • Are 16 or 17 years old and are owed duty or are leaving care.
  • Are 16 or 17 years old and homeless or vulnerable.
  • Are 18-21 years old, homeless (other than a 'relevant student') and are a 'former relevant child'.
  • Live in a property that's subject to demolition or a Compulsory Purchase Order.

Band B

You're likely to be in Band B if you:

  • Live in unsuitable conditions in a privately rented property with a vulnerable age group present.
  • Live in a property that's under occupation by 2 or more bedrooms.
  • Live in an adapted property that is no longer required.
  • Are leaving the armed forces.
  • Are moving on from supported accommodation.
  • Are in care management.
  • Have a learning disability.
  • Have severe and enduring mental health conditions.
  • Have a physical disability
  • Have HIV or Aids.

Band C

You're likely to be in Band C if you:

  • Are homeless or threatened with homelessness but not in a priority group.
  • Live in a property that's under occupation by one bedroom.
  • Have learning difficulties.
  • Are a carer, registered foster worker or key support worker.
  • Have certain medical conditions.
  • Live somewhere that's overcrowded – lacking one bedroom and another hazard.
  • Live somewhere that's overcrowded – lacking 2 bedrooms or more.
  • Live in unsuitable conditions in a privately rented property without a vulnerable age group present.
  • Need to move for work.
  • Have a mental illness.
  • Are a parent under 18 years old who needs support.
  • Are leaving prison.
  • Are in hardship, as defined in section 167 of the 1996 Housing Act.
  • Are homeless or threatened with homelessness, but are deemed to be intentionally homeless.

Band D

You're likely to be in Band D if you do not have a recognised housing need but do not qualify for Band E.

Band E: lowest need

You're likely to be in Band E if you:

  • Do not have a recognised housing need and you own a residential property in which you could live.
  • Do not have a recognised housing need and are adequately accommodated in significantly adapted accommodation.
  • Have deliberately worsened your circumstances ​to gain priority for housing or we have reason to believe you may have deliberately worsened your circumstances.

For most of the available accommodation in the borough, housing providers use the council's Housing Allocations Policy to prioritise applicants. However, not all housing providers use the council's policy, so you may not be offered a property if you do not meet the housing provider's own policy.