Southwark Council’s housing boss says huge changes to its housing allocations policy is ‘overdue’.
This month Cllr Stephanie Cryan, cabinet member for council housing, announced that the council was consulting on changes to how the priority band allocations work, and which groups take precedence, saying the policy needs ‘greater flexibility’ and ‘acknowledgement of people’s unique needs’.
The shake-up would allow anyone facing homelessness to join a new band four even if they do not have a connection to Southwark, currently set at five years.
The council also wants to create new maximum income criteria for eligibility, with a cap at savings or assets of £60,000 or more for a single person.
Proposals also suggest armed forces personnel and domestic abuse victims into band two.
Tenants who don’t breach their agreements or fall into arrears will also no longer benefit from automatic priority.
“Many residents feel punished for going through a hard time such as losing employment due to COVID19, and then awaiting benefit claims to be put in place resulting in the applicant falling into rent arrears and no longer qualifying for the good tenant status,” council papers explain.
“Consequently, many clients have complained as a result of this refusal feeling disheartened and under- valued as a result.”
Another shake-up could see people living in statutory overcrowded conditions, who lack two or more bedrooms, awarded priority band one status.
Currently, those in overcrowded housing can only join band one if they can prove their situation was not the result of ‘a deliberate act’.
Proposals also recommend moving current and former armed forces personnel in housing need, who are currently in band two, into band one.
Households nominated by social services and those fleeing domestic abuse would also join band two.
The council also wants to change the system so that all applicants can bid for houses, not just ‘families’ with a child under the age of sixteen.
Housing issues have been brought into sharp focus during the pandemic.
The council saw a 51 per cent increase in homeless applications in the last financial year, with unemployment rising in the borough from 22,000 to 44,000 in the last four months alone.
Cllr Cryan said: “Despite our ambitious home building programme, and superb housing options service, it’s still the case that housing is a resource under significant demand.
“A revisit to the way housing is allocated was long overdue. It is really important that we keep abreast of changes in demand, and that our service reflects who is in the greatest need of housing.
“This is particularly the case over the past year for those fleeing domestic abuse, when cases have risen significantly”
The last review into the housing allocations process was held in 2013.