Housing Allocations Policy Review: Proposals Summary

Last update: 15/06/2026

Andrew Bebbington, Housing Strategy Officer

Link to current policy: https://www.york.gov.uk/council-homes/can-apply-council-house

Summary of change	Impact analysis	Policy change rationale
1. Amendments to achieve DAHA accreditation: · Removal of certain Domestic Abuse related categories of rent arrears and tenancy breach from non-qualification criteria · Earlier award of Direct Let homelessness status for exceptional Housing Options cases where Domestic Abuse applicant does not move into interim/temporary accommodation · DASH risk assessment process included in procedures	Small number of additional high priority allocations expected for applicants fleeing domestic abuse Potential for adverse impacts through homelessness applications to be mitigated through Housing Options processes and assessments	Improve access to social housing for applicants fleeing domestic abuse and improve range of options for doing this
2. Meeting Government requirements to remove Local Connection obligation from certain categories of: a) People experiencing Domestic Abuse b) Care Leavers	Potential for adverse impact on City of York local connection applicants mitigated through prioritisation approach and clear refuge referral process	Legal requirement
3. Possibility of participating in Domestic Abuse reciprocal scheme will be considered in future, as national scheme develops	Potential for adverse impact on City of York local connection applicants mitigated through prioritisation approach	Better support for applicants fleeing domestic abuse who need to move either into, or out of the City of York
4. Meet government requirements for Armed Forces personnel and specified related applicants –  Qualification criteria and Additional Housing Preference	Low impact anticipated, small scale of applications affected	Legal requirement
5. Health and Wellbeing scope to incorporate exceptional crisis situations that may not always be “severe and enduring”, e.g. acute mental health crisis – retaining need for housing allocation to meaningfully address H&WB issue	Potential for adverse impact on lower priority applicants and on team workload mitigated through clear criteria and processes	Reduce discretionary moves and clarify decision making to reflect need in these complex cases
6. Improve letting of suitable Adapted Properties including clearer requirements for offer limits to reduce refusal of suitable properties	Low impact anticipated, small scale of applications affected Some additional review requests anticipated	Make best use of stock and reduce offer refusal choices when households are offered suitable Adapted Properties
7. Clarify award of additional bedroom where specified policy criteria are met & evidenced e.g. specific exceptional children’s needs related to this	Some reduction in workload through clarity of decision making expectations Risk of excessive prioritisation mitigated by clear evidence criteria and team working practice To confirm position with Housing Benefit / Universal Credit / include note on this in policy for awareness, advice has been sought	Respond effectively to identified needs for families with complex circumstances and reduce discretionary decision making scope
8. Including extra child in household for pregnant woman at 20+ weeks on provision of MAT B1, which is typically included in many LA’s allocations policies	Improved access to social housing for pregnant residents with a social housing need Some relative reduction in priority for applicants with family housing need under current policy	Improved health and wellbeing for pregnant residents with a social housing need Better use of social housing stock with reduced pressure for moves
9. Clarification on Direct Let principles – to be used only in circumstances where CYC identities that specific location with urgency of an offer is critical, not predominantly as a means to high priority	Some reduction in workload through clarity of decision making expectations	Reduce discretionary moves and clarify decision making to reflect need in these complex cases
10. Formalising Sensitive Lets Panel into Housing Allocations Panel and including the most complex cases –Service Manager will chair.	Impact aligns with rationale, additional meetings workload mitigated by improved communication flows and more effective conversations	Improved multi-agency decision making and support sustainable lettings for applicants with complex needs
11. Revise “deliberately worsening circumstances” to include response of Banding reduction where this is more appropriate than non-qualification – and include additional guidance/criteria in appendix	Potential for improved proportionality compared to non-qualification outcomes, some reduction in review requests	Introduce a more flexible and proportionate response to applicant behavioural determinations, reducing reliance on non-qualification
12. Clarification on 16/17 year old process [eligibility implication] – unlikely to be offered through Register but circumstances specified where they could be, need to be via Children’s Services or Youth Homelessness Team	Improved clarity expected to reduce inappropriate applications and internal processing time, with clearer referral routes to Children’s Services and Youth Homelessness teams	Ensure compliance with safeguarding responsibilities and statutory duties and aligning to current practice and Protocol arrangements
13. Exclude ‘disability related cost’ benefits from income calculation – PIP, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (including child DLA)	Small number of additional households may qualify for or access higher priority bands. Low overall impact on allocations, with improved equity for disabled applicants.	Ensure fairness in financial assessments by recognising that disability-related benefits are intended to meet additional living costs and should not disadvantage disabled applicants within the allocations framework.
14. Social landlord succession right clarified including “discretionary succession” in line with Regulator expectation and CYC Tenancy Policy and Strategy	Low volume impact anticipated, limited to a small number of succession cases. Improved clarity expected to reduce case disputes and review requests.	Align with approved tenancy strategy and tenancy policy
15. Additional Direct Let category of “intractable neighbour disputes” in social housing where it is clearly evidenced that all alternatives have already been pursued (including all appropriate housing management solutions)	Potential for adverse impact on lower priority applicants and on team workload mitigated through clear criteria and processes	Reduce discretionary moves and clarify decision making to reflect need in these complex cases
16. Offender initiative review – revised joint protocol with Probation, to ensure cases are effectively identified to be incorporated into Appendix	Enables applicants leaving prison to access suitable accommodation where protocol criteria are met Small volume of applicants expected Improved joint working expected to reduce delays, unmanaged risk, and inappropriate placements, with clearer expectations for all agencies	Embed Criminal Justice Navigator role in protocol. Strengthen partnership working and improve safety and sustainability of lettings by ensuring offender-related cases are consistently identified, assessed, and managed through a clear agreed protocol.
17. Rightsizing/downsizing offer flexibility – social housing rightsizing tenants with priority banding may be offered an additional bedroom where moving from a house, to support best use of social housing stock	Positive impact on stock turnover anticipated, particularly release of larger family homes, with limited pressure on overall supply Potential for a small number of additional lettings with an extra bedroom	Support effective rightsizing by removing practical barriers to downsizing, improving take-up of offers, and enabling better use of the housing stock while maintaining reasonable living standards
18. Multiple adult households restricted to flats/maisonettes only – or bungalows if age-eligible. Subject to review of ICT system options.	Some reduction in access to houses for multiple adult households. Improved allocation efficiency anticipated, supporting availability of family housing and reducing mismatch between household type and stock	Ensure better alignment between household composition and property type, prioritising houses for families with children and supporting efficient, fair use of limited family-sized accommodation
19. Clarify that Appendices can be amended without full policy approval process, through senior management decision Also for minor/drafting changes to main policy and government regulation changes through same route.	Version control impacts to be mitigated by effective document management and decision recording processes	Streamlined updates to written procedures and processes
20. Criteria for determining bedroom needs for children with self-identified gender – including advice from Equalities Officer	Some reduction in workload through clarity of decision making expectations Risk of excessive prioritisation mitigated by clear evidence criteria and team working practice	Address core council equalities priorities
21. Tenants approved for transfer will need to have a pre-transfer visit where offered, or they will lose gold band status until they do	Increased access for pre-transfer visits to enable more cost effective maintenance of the vacated property	Supports effective housing management processes and tenant engagement