District Council tenants and applicants encouraged to have their say on updated Housing Allocation Scheme

All local housing authorities are required by law to have a scheme for determining priorities and procedures when allocating social housing. The current Housing Allocation Scheme has been in use since July 2020 and needs updating to reflect changes in the law, regulation, policies and general accepted good practice.

The Housing Allocation Schemes offers households with an identified housing need (as defined by the scheme) choice in bidding for a home whilst giving reasonable preference to those in the greatest housing need and with a local connection to the district.

The Housing Allocation Scheme applies to:

• New applicants,
• Existing council tenants who have a need to transfer from one tenancy within stock to another,
• Existing social housing tenants who need to transfer from their existing tenancy in another area, provided by a different social landlord.

The full draft Housing Allocation Scheme and a table of main changes on the District Council website: https://newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/allocation-scheme-consultation/. Tenants can give their feedback on the Scheme by emailing housing@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.

Councillor Lee Brazier, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “As is right and needed, we are updating our Housing Allocation Scheme to make sure it incorporates any changes in law and regulation as well context at both a national and local level. Like many other housing authorities across the country, we are facing an increased demand for social housing that outstrips supply and we need to make sure our Scheme is fit for purpose.

“It is important we get views from our tenants, who have been through the process and may be impacted in the future by the changes we make. I encourage all of our tenants to have a look at the Scheme and to get in touch with any feedback that they have.”