Major changes to the way social housing is allocated due to start

Major changes to the system which allocates social housing across North Yorkshire come into force later this month.

The ‘Choice Based Lettings’ (CBL) scheme has been reviewed after greater flexibility was given to housing providers in the way they manage housing stock.

CBL allows eligible people to bid for social housing across the region. It was introduced by North Yorkshire Home Choice (NYHC) – a partnership of local housing associations and local authorities in North Yorkshire with the exception of Harrogate – in July 2011 to give applicants greater flexibility and choice when choosing a property.

Initial consultation on the scheme took place 12 months ago - with members of the public, existing and prospective tenants. Further consultation followed earlier this year - both prompted by changes to the Welfare Reform and Localism Acts.

They have given more flexibility to housing providers in the way they manage waiting lists, use housing stock, determine which applicants qualify for social housing and respond to local needs and local circumstances.

Tom Brittain, Chair of the NYHC partnership board said: "These changes will help North Yorkshire Home Choice deliver its allocation policy to give priority to those in greatest housing need, at a time when the demand for social housing is simply outstripping supply.
"We have a duty to be as fair as possible and these new criteria should help do just that while clarifying the allocations process."

The North Yorkshire changes kick in on September 26 for new and existing tenants and include:

• Ensuring local people have priority by restricting the register to people who have a local connection
• Supporting balanced and sustainable communities by preventing people with a history of serious Anti-Social Behaviour issues from qualifying for social housing
• Excluding homeowners who have no recognised housing need either for economic or social reasons
• Introducing a financial threshold for people who have a combined household income and/or capital and assets of £60,000 plus and who may be able to meet their own housing needs. It is recognised some people, in particular the elderly, may need to move into specialist accommodation and alternative housing advice will be given to them
• Allocating properties to meet applicants' assessed bedroom need
• To make the process fair, penalties to exclude persons from the register have been introduced. These include persons who provide false information, deliberately withhold information or who have deliberately worsened their housing circumstances
• And the Good Tenant Scheme, an incentive award for secure and assured tenants and formerly known as the Good Neighbour award, has a new allocation assessment.

For full details of all the changes to the NYHC policy visit www.northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk