Renting a council house/home from the council

How do I join the waiting list for a council house/home?
Am I eligible to join the waiting list for a council house/home?
What do the waiting list bands mean?
What types of council homes are there, and where are they?
How do I apply for a council house/home?
How long will I have to wait to get a council home?
Am I eligible for the Right to Move scheme?
Do you have any sheltered, supported or extra care housing?
Do you currently have any council properties available to rent?
How long will my council tenancy last?
Can I get help with the rent for a council home?
How do I tell you about a change in circumstances?
How do I tell you if I no longer need a council house?
How do I get a medical priority for council housing?
What is the council's Local Lettings Policy for rural properties?

How do I join the waiting list for a council house/home?

To find out if you qualify for a council house or home, there are 2 stages:

Stage 1

You must qualify to join the waiting list. Qualifying to join the waiting list depends upon:

whether you have a local connection to the East Riding (though there are exceptions)
your age
whether you have any record of unacceptable behaviour.

Stage 2

You will be allocated a waiting list 'band'. Your circumstances will be assessed to determine your level of housing need. Your application will be designated the appropriate waiting list ‘band’ which tells us how high a priority your application should be given according to your level of housing need. Higher bands are given highest priority – band 1 being the highest and band 9 being the lowest.

Which waiting list band your application is placed into can be influenced by factors of need. You may have specific circumstances or housing needs that affect the priority of your application and thus your waiting list band. Factors of need are grouped into 3 categories: A, B and C and combinations of these factors can affect the priority of your application by deciding which waiting list band your application matches.

As appropriate properties become available they will normally be allocated to the person in the highest waiting list band that has been in that band the longest.

Please note: there may also be exceptions to the rule as some individual circumstances will be prioritised over others. The type of property that you may be eligible for is set out in our Housing Allocation Policy and is determined by the property's size, type, location, and facilities:

Council Housing Allocation Policy (pdf 1mb)

Our sheltered and supported housing is let in accordance with our Local Lettings Policy:

Local lettings policy for sheltered and supported housing (pdf 83kb)

If you are not sure whether you are eligible please complete an application form and we will let you know.

Am I eligible to join the waiting list for a council house/home?

You will normally be eligible to join our waiting list if:

you have a local connection to the East Riding of Yorkshire, and
you are at least 18 years of age, and
you are not deemed to be guilty of unacceptable behaviour.

Please read on for more information on what these criteria mean, and what exceptions there are.

Local connection to the East Riding

We will usually only accept applications onto the housing register from applicants with a local connection to the East Riding of Yorkshire. Local connection means that the applicant either:

is normally resident within the area of the East Riding; or
has a local connection with the area by virtue of family association or secure employment.

Normally resident means living within the East Riding as your sole or main home for at least 6 out of the last 12 months, or 3 out of the last 5 years.

Local Connection normally means family association by having parents, grandparents, adult children, a brother or sister currently living within the East Riding and having done so for at least 5 years; or secure employment or self-employment within the East Riding for at least 1 year for 20 hours/week, or permanent employment if less than 1 year.

Local connection requirements will not apply to the following applicants:

Members of the Armed Forces and former Service personnel, where the application is made within five years of discharge
Bereaved spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner; and
Serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service
Where we must give applicants a 'reasonable preference' for housing in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 (as amended), for example, because they are occupying insanitary housing
Where applications have been invited for a property that we have deemed to be 'hard to let'.

Age of applicant

Applicants will normally be at least 18 years of age. In the case of 16 and 17-year-olds, applicants must be care leavers or homeless/threatened with homelessness, and not deemed to be a child in need following an investigation by Social Services under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. Applicants under the age of 18 must have a recognised support package and financial guarantor or guardian before being accepted on to the register.

Unacceptable behaviour

In addition, applicants will not be accepted onto the register where the council decides that the applicant, or a member of the household with whom the applicant would usually reside, has behaved unacceptably.

If you are not sure whether you meet the criteria to join the waiting list please contact us to discuss your situation.

Email: housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Tel: (01482) 393939

Our council housing allocation policy sets out who is eligible to go on our waiting list, and how we allocate our properties. The following pdf document is our council housing allocation policy:

Council Housing Allocation Policy (pdf 1mb)

We allocate our sheltered and supported housing in accordance with the Local Lettings Policy:

Local lettings policy for sheltered and supported housing (pdf 83kb)

We operate a date order, band system of allocation. This means that when you are accepted on the waiting list you are put into a band (numbered from 1 to 9) according to your housing need – band 1 being the highest band and having the greatest housing need.

Your position within that band depends on how long you have been in the band. When a property becomes empty, it is allocated to the applicant in the highest band (ie. with the most housing need) and who has been in that band the longest, where the property is suitable for them in terms of size, type, location and facilities. The type of property that you may be eligible for is set out in our Housing Allocation Policy (see link above).

Some of our rural properties built since 2010 are subject to a Local Lettings Policy.

If you are a pensioner or disabled and live in the East Riding, we can help you look at the options for moving to more suitable accommodation. We can provide practical help when you move, and if you are in receipt of a means-tested benefit we can provide financial help towards the costs of moving.

If you would like to find out more about our Housing Options Advice Service please email housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk or telephone (01482) 393939.

What do the waiting list bands mean?

Our council housing allocation policy is based on nine bands with specific qualifying criteria. Your housing needs and other circumstances are assessed on the information you provide, and you will be placed in the highest band your circumstances allow. Qualifying applicants with no local connection will be placed in band 9.

Within each band applications are ranked in order from when they were accepted into that band, and not the date the original application was accepted. The following is a summary of the information relating to bands in our allocation policy, for more information please see our full policy by clicking on the link above.

Bands

All qualifying applicants will be allocated to one of the following bands according to their particular circumstances. Factors of need are explained in the section following bands.

Band 1

Households accepted as homeless, management decants and other emergency cases.

Band 2

Under-occupying social tenants, management transfers, applicants whose homes require major adaptation and alternative more suitable accommodation is available, and homeless prevention cases.

Band 3

Applicants who are considered to have one or more factors of need from Group A.

Band 4

Applicants who are considered to have two or more factors of need from Group B, or one factor of need from Group B and one or more factors of need from Group C.

Band 5

Applicants who have one factor of need from Group B.

Band 6

Applicants who have two or more factors of need from Group C.

Band 7

Applicants who have one factor of need from Group C.

Band 8

Applicants who do not have a housing need or, following a financial and need assessment, would be able to purchase a property or rent market priced housing
within the East Riding of Yorkshire which is suitable for their needs.

Band 9

Applicants without a local connection to the East Riding of Yorkshire but with a 'reasonable preference' for housing in accordance with the Housing Act 1996 (as amended), for example because they are occupying insanitary housing.

Factor of need

The factor of need groups referred to above are as follows:

Group A

Urgent medical need

Applicants diagnosed with a terminal illness and needing to move to alternative accommodation, or serving or former members of the Armed and Reserve Forces who need to move because of serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service.

Resettlement

Applicants who have completed an intensive/approved resettlement programme in supported accommodation (as determined by the Housing Services Group Manager).

Use and occupation

Following the death of the tenant, occupiers of council dwellings who under the Tenancy Policy would be granted a discretionary succession, however the current property would be under-occupied or considered unsuitable.

Group B

People with disabilities

Applicants with disabilities whose need to move to alternative accommodation is supported by Health and/or Social Services and, if appropriate, a support package is in place.

Care Leavers

Application must be supported by Social Services and a recognised support package in place.

Welfare and Employment

Where:

applicant needs to move closer to support, as current arrangements are having a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of those involved, this
has to be with the agreement of the Head of Housing, Transportation and Public Protection
applicant needs to move to provide care/ support, as current arrangements are having a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of those involved,
this has to be with the agreement of the Head of Housing, Transportation and Public Protection
a move will prevent admission to residential care or hospital
applicant needs to move out of residential care to live independently, where the applicant has the capacity and a recognised support package is in place
a move will allow the adoption or fostering of a child that is the responsibility of East Riding of Yorkshire Council to take place, this has to be on the recommendation of the Director of Children, Families and Schools, in agreement with the Head of Housing, Transportation and Public Protection
applicant needs to move closer to permanent employment, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship.

Disrepair

Households living in accommodation designated a Category 1 hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System regulations, where the owner has no recourse to funds (this includes raising monies through a loan or mortgage) to rectify the property, and where it is agreed by the Public Protection Group Manager that the most appropriate course of action is to re-house the household.

High medical need

Applicants who are either unable to use or have serious difficulty using an essential part of current residence (for example, lavatory or bathroom).

Lacking facilities

Applicants whose current home lacks either a bathroom or a kitchen/cooking facilities or where the only lavatory is external to the property; or
Households with a child aged under 10 years where the current property lacks private outdoor space, garden or yard.

Homeless

Households who the council accepts are homeless but to whom it does not owe a duty to secure settled accommodation because they are not considered to
be in priority need.

Tenants who are overcrowded and need two or more additional bedrooms

Our secure tenants, housing association and private tenants/lodgers who are overcrowded and need two or more additional bedrooms, based upon the dwelling type suitability detailed in our council housing allocation policy.

Group C

Moderate medical need

Applicants who need to move into alternative accommodation as their current housing is detrimental to health and well-being.

Overcrowded

Our secure tenants, housing association and private tenants/lodgers who are overcrowded and need one additional bedroom based on the dwelling type suitability detailed in our council housing allocation policy
Home-owners who are overcrowded and need one or more additional bedrooms who have no recourse to funds (this includes raising monies through a loan or mortgage).

Homeless

Households who are found to be intentionally homeless.

Sharing facilities

People sharing a kitchen, bathroom or both with another household. This does not include sharing with immediate family members who will be moving with the applicant.

For more details on bands and factors of need (including exceptions to the above criteria) please see our council housing allocation policy.

When a property becomes empty, it is allocated to the applicant in the highest band (i.e. with the most housing need) and who has been in that band the longest, where the property is suitable for them in terms of size, type, location, and facilities.

If you believe you have been placed in the wrong band, in accordance with our council housing allocation policy, you have the right to appeal in writing within 21 days of the decision. You must state the reasons why your band is incorrect.

Appeals should be sent to:

East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Housing Services
County Hall
Beverley
HU17 9BA.

or email housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

What types of council homes are there, and where are they?

The Council is the largest provider of social and affordable housing in the area with over 11,300 houses, bungalows, flats and bedsits spread across the East Riding of Yorkshire. Over 570 of these are classed as sheltered housing with a warden service, over 2,300 are suitable for older people and there are 130 other properties for people with identified support needs, such as homeless people or those with a learning disability. In addition, there are over 2,200 properties owned by other social landlords operating in the area.

The following pdf booklet gives details of the types of properties owned by the Council and in which locations. If you decide to apply for council accommodation you should check that we have your preferred type of accommodation in the area that you prefer to live:

What and Where? East Riding of Yorkshire Council, housing association and almshouse rented accommodation in the East Riding (pdf 2mb)

Details of our sheltered and supported housing are set out in the Local Lettings Policy:

Local lettings policy for sheltered and supported housing (pdf 83kb)

How do I apply for a council house/home?

To apply for a council home you need to complete a Housing Application Form. Our online application is not currently available, please contact (01482) 393939 if you wish to apply.

To apply you will need:

National Insurance number(s) of all people moving into the new property
household income details, including benefits payment, student loan repayments, and savings
mortgage details (if you are a homeowner), including provider, payments, and equity.

Please note: if you are interested in supported or sheltered housing, or are moving due to a medical or health reason, please select this as a reason for moving on the form.

What happens after I apply?

You will receive a written response confirming whether the application has been accepted or not, and confirming which waiting list 'band' your application is held in, in accordance with our council housing allocation policy.

When you are registered on the waiting list you will be sent a renewal form every year on the anniversary of your application, to ensure that your details are up-to-date. As the length of time that you are in a band is an important factor in determining who a property is allocated to, it is very important to return your renewal form promptly. If you do not complete and return the renewal form by the given date your application will be cancelled and when you next apply, your waiting time will start from scratch.

When a property is available for you, you will be contacted by telephone or letter, and given the chance to visit the property before deciding whether to accept it or not. If you accept the tenancy, you will be given a tenancy start date and arrangements will be made for you to sign your tenancy agreement. If you refuse the property, you may receive two further offers of accommodation, but if you refuse all three, no further offers will be made for a period of 12 months.

How long will I have to wait to get a council home?

Many applicants ask how long it will take to obtain a council property – this, unfortunately, is impossible to predict, as we don’t know how many properties are going to become vacant, and people are constantly joining and leaving the waiting list. Probably the most helpful information we can give you is about the allocation of each property type within the last calendar month (it is also divided by area) so that you can see how long the applicant who was allocated the property had been in their waiting list band and which band they were in. The report is usually published by the 15th of each month and covers the preceding month.

The following PDF gives our latest property allocation information:

Council Home Allocation Information (pdf 231kb)

If after looking at this information you believe that you had been in a higher waiting list band or had been in the same band as the new tenant but for longer, please contact us to review your application.

Email: housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Tel: (01482) 393939

We will contact you by email, telephone or letter as soon as a property is available for you, so please ensure that we have your up-to-date contact information, so that you do not miss out.

Am I eligible for the Right to Move Scheme?

The Right to Move Scheme aims to increase mobility for social tenants (council and housing association) who need to move nearer to their employment or to take up an offer of employment and would suffer hardship if they were not able to move.

To be eligible you must:

be a council or housing association tenant
not have a local connection to the East Riding of Yorkshire
have either employment in the East Riding or an offer of employment
at risk of suffering hardship if you were not able to move.

The scheme is run on a quota basis, and we will have approximately 8 properties a year available to be let under this scheme. Qualifying households will receive one reasonable offer.

For more information please contact us:

Email: housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Tel: (01482) 393939

Do you have any sheltered, supported or extra care housing?

Sheltered or supported council housing

Sheltered and supported council housing allows tenants to live independently, whilst having the added security of knowing that someone is available to help in an emergency 24-hours-a-day. There are sheltered housing and supported housing schemes throughout the East Riding offering different services and with different facilities.

Find out more about sheltered or supported housing and how to apply.

Extra care housing

Rita Hunt Court

Rita Hunt Court is made up of self-contained 'extra care' apartments designed to enable people with a care and support need to live independently.

Residents also benefit from a dedicated care provider on-site all day, every day so they know help is available if they need it.

Find more information on Rita Hunt Court on the East Riding Care and Community directory.

Appleton Court

Appleton Court is a new housing scheme that will provide independent living for people with a care and support need. It is currently in development and due to open in 2022.

Appleton Court e-brochure

Find more information on Appleton Court on the East Riding Care and Community directory.

How to apply

Applicants for the scheme must be eligible to join our housing waiting list and have been placed in bands 1 to 7. They should preferably be at least sixty years of age without children living with them (unless that child is an older person) and can demonstrate the need for a care service by requiring assistance with daily living tasks or personal care (as assessed by our Adult Services Section). They must also meet one of the following criteria:

Have a positive attitude towards retaining or regaining their independence
Have a combination of housing, care and support needs due to a range of difficulties or disabilities as identified by an Adult Services assessment
Are awaiting discharge from a residential or nursing home, hospital or other care settings identified by an Adult Services assessment
Be an older carer with son, daughter or dependent with a learning/physical disability who requires care and support as identified by an Adult Services assessment.

Applicants are eligible to apply where one or both applicants meet the criteria.

If you are interested in applying for Rita Hunt Court you must be on our housing waiting list or will need to apply to be on the waiting list. When you complete this form you should tell us that you need supported accommodation as a reason for applying.

You will also need to complete an Extra Care Housing Application Form. You can download and print the Extra Care Housing Application Form, or you can obtain one from any Customer Service Centre or by telephoning (01482) 393939:

Extra Care Housing Application Form (pdf 73kb)

The forms can be returned to any Customer Service Centre or sent to:

East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Housing Services
County Hall
Beverley
HU17 9BA.

Do you currently have any council properties available to rent?

We allocate our properties using our housing waiting list and in accordance with our council housing allocations policy. When an applicant is at the top of the list for a current vacancy we will contact them directly.

We sometimes have properties available for let and have no one on our waiting list for them. When this happens we advertise them here.

There are no such vacancies at the moment.

Contact us

Telephone: (01482) 396301

Email: housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Paying the rent

If you are of working age, on a low income and accept the tenancy of a property that is deemed to be too large for your current needs (in accordance with housing benefit regulations) you will not qualify for full housing benefit and will have to pay the difference between the housing benefit and the rent due.

Therefore, as part of your decision as to whether to accept a tenancy, you will need to consider how you would pay any shortfall.

How long will my council tenancy last?

The length of your council tenancy depends on the type of tenancy you are offered. The type of tenancy offered is determined by our Council Housing Tenancy Policy.

Secure Lifetime Tenancy

Secure Lifetime tenancies are offered to all new tenants aged 60 or over on the date that their tenancy starts. If you have a joint tenancy only one party must be 60 or over.

Exceptions to this apply where:

you are offered a family house because there is a child aged under 16 in your household (in which case you will be offered a flexible secure tenancy), or
you have a financial interest in another permanent residence (in which case you will be offered a five year flexible secure tenancy until such time as the property is sold).

Flexible Secure Tenancy

All other applicants will be offered a flexible secure tenancy, the length of which is determined by your circumstances.

Five-year flexible secure tenancies will be offered to applicants under 60 years of age who don't have children residing with them, or who have children residing with them that are aged 16 or over on the date the tenancy starts.
Where a household has one or more children under the age of 16 on the date the tenancy commences, they will be offered a flexible secure tenancy for a minimum of five years and a maximum of 21 years, depending on the age of the youngest child in the household. For example, if the youngest child is aged 10 on the date the tenancy starts the tenancy will be for 11 years.
Where the applicant is pregnant or the youngest child is under the age of one (and there are no other children in the household) the tenancy offered will be for 21 years.

For the purposes of the policy a child must be part of the household being rehoused and should be living within the tenants family on a permanent basis.

There is a right of appeal if you believe that the length of the tenancy offered is not in accordance with our Council Housing Tenancy Policy.

Can I get help with the rent for a council house?

Our benefits section deal with claims for housing benefit from our tenants. You may be able to claim housing benefit if you are the tenant of one of our properties, you live in the dwelling and you are on a low income. You can apply for housing benefit online (opens in new window) or visit one of our Customer Service Centres. Please take original evidence with you.

In order to process a new claim, the benefits team will need proof for you, and your partner, of your identities, national insurance numbers, income, capital and savings; along with proof of income for any other adults in your home.

The way housing benefit is calculated will be changing from 1 April 2018. If you sign a new tenancy after 1 April 2016 (1 April 2017 for supported accommodation) the amount of housing benefit that you receive will be capped to the ‘Local Housing Allowance’ rate for your household size (this rate currently applies to private sector tenants).

If you are under 35 years old and do not have any dependent children living with you, your eligible rent will be capped to a shared accommodation Local Housing Allowance rate, even if you do not share your home with anyone else.

The Local Housing Allowance rate for this area can be found on the Directgov website:

Directgov - local housing allowance rates (external website)

If you are of pension age your rent will be capped to the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate for your household. If you have any under-occupied bedrooms in your property this may mean that your housing benefit will no longer cover all of your rent.

If you are of working age and have one or more extra bedrooms, your housing benefit will currently be capped. From 1 April 2018, if the difference between your rent and the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate for your household is more than the reduction for having under-occupied bedrooms your benefit will be capped to the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate. Similarly, if the reduction in your benefit for having under-occupied bedrooms is more than the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate cap, only the reduction for under-occupied bedrooms will apply. In all cases, you will only receive one reduction to your housing benefit.

You will have to pay the difference if your housing benefit is less than your rent. Therefore, as part of your decision as to whether to accept any offer of tenancy you may receive you will need to consider how you would pay any shortfall.

How do I tell you about a change in circumstances?

We need up to date information about your circumstances to make sure that you are considered for suitable properties. If we don’t have current information on your circumstances you may miss out on the offer of a property.

Please note: if you are homeless or threatened with homelessness within the next 56 days you should visit one of our Customer Service Centres and ask them to complete a homelessness form for you, or you can telephone (01482) 393939 and they will complete one for you over the phone.

Tell us about any change to your current housing circumstances

Do I need to tell you if someone has moved in or out of my property?

Yes, you need to tell us as this may affect your priority for housing and the band that you are in on the waiting list. Your priority can change depending on who is living in your home. You need to tell us about:

new additions to your household, including babies
a member of the household who has moved away
a death.

If the lead applicant is moving out of the property, the joint applicant (if relevant) will become the lead applicant if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Do I need to tell you I have moved address?

Yes, you need to tell us, as we need to remain in contact with you. Also if there is a joint applicant, we need to update their contact details so we can get in touch with them too. If you do not tell us when you move, we cannot contact you and you may miss out on offers of accommodation. You won’t receive your renewal letter which may lead to your application being cancelled.

How do I tell you if I have changed my name?

When completing the change in circumstances form select update your household details and tell us you have changed your name. You can also tell us if someone else in the household has changed their name. This will make sure we have the correct details for you.

Why do I need to confirm my details?

We send out a renewal letter every 12 months, on the anniversary of your application, asking you to check your details are up to date. This is so we can make sure everyone on our housing register is considered for the appropriate properties. The length of time you are in a band on the waiting list is important to determine whether a property is allocated to you. If you don’t confirm your details by the given date or make any required changes your application is at risk of being cancelled. If it is cancelled you will have to apply again to be on the housing register and your waiting time will restart.

How do I tell you if I no longer need a council house?

You need to complete the change in circumstances form and select the cancel application option. This will remove you from the housing register.

How do I get a medical priority for council housing?

If you need to move house for medical reasons you will need to join our council home waiting list. In this form, you should include medical or health reason as a reason for applying.

We will assess your application and if you qualify, we will send you a medical priority form for you to complete and return to us.

Our disability resource team will then grant priority for a specific type of accommodation such as the ground floor if you meet the criteria. They cannot specify the area or proximity to facilities.

What is the council's Local Lettings Policy for rural properties?

Some of our properties which have been built in rural villages since 2010 are subject to the local lettings policy - in some cases this was a condition of obtaining planning permission. This basically means that priority is given to applicants who have a strong local connection with the villages where the properties are located.

In accordance with our allocations policy, such properties will be offered to the applicant in the highest priority band who has been waiting in that band the longest, but only where they meet the definition of local connection. If no one meets the criteria in that band then applicants in the next band will be considered, and so on.

You will have a local connection with a village if you:

are normally resident in permanent accommodation in the village where the vacancy is and have been so for at least six out of the last twelve months or three out of the last five years. Holiday or other temporary accommodation (e.g. hospital or student housing) is not to be regarded as normally resident unless you can demonstrate that this has been your sole or main home for a period of at least five years; or
have secure employment in the village where the vacancy is. Secure employment means that you, or an adult member of your household, have permanent employment for at least one year’s duration and at least 20 hours a week. Where this employment has been for less than one year at the time of application a letter from the employer is required to confirm that the employment is permanent; or
have family association with the village where the vacancy is. This is defined as your parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, a brother or sister who currently live in the village and have done so for at least five years. In exceptional circumstances and where support is required family association may be extended to include in-laws, step children and adoptive relatives.

2nd Priority:

Burstwick, Keyingham, Paull

If you have any queries with regard to this policy please contact your Area Housing Office on (01482) 393939.

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