Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon District Councils are joining forces to launch a new scheme to allocate social housing across the three districts. The South Worcestershire Partnership will move away from Home Choice Plus, the current allocation system, and is seeking views from local people on its proposed new allocations policy.
The policy has been drawn up in consultation with a wide range of social housing providers in the region including Rooftop Housing Group and Platform Housing Group.
"The proposed allocations policy gives residents a single point of access to apply for affordable housing across Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wychavon," explains Cllr James Stanley, Chair of Worcester City Council's Communities Committee.
Stephen Gabriel, Director of Housing and Communities for Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils, added: "The proposals will allow us to prioritise those most in need and make it easier for us to work with households to prevent homelessness."
One of the proposals under the new scheme is that households which are threatened with homelessness will be eligible for the highest banding, if they are willing to work with a Housing Officer. Under the current Home Choice Plus system, the highest banding is only allocated once a household has actually become homeless.
Under the new proposals, all applicants would be able to bid on suitable available properties; under the current policy they are restricted to three bids per week. It is also proposed that social housing tenants who wish to move, and who don't use or need all of the bedrooms in their current property, would be eligible for the highest banding. Households living in an overcrowded flat with a child under 10 would also be awarded a higher banding, under the proposals. Applicants in the highest three bands who refuse a suitable offer of accommodation would see their priority banding reduced.