NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS: SHROPSHIRE HOMEPOINT TO IMPLEMENT NEW HOUSING ALLOCATIONS POLICY

This following update comes from Shropshire Council.

Shropshire Council has implemented its new Housing Allocations Policy.

In March 2023 Cabinet approved and adopted a revised housing allocations policy and scheme. The revised policy follows a public consultation where the council sought the views from local organisations and residents on the proposed changes to the criteria used to allocate social and affordable housing to people who live and work in Shropshire.

Tackling inequality is a key outcome of the Healthy People priority of The Shropshire Plan: ensuring affordable housing is allocated to those in the greatest housing need is fundamental to tackling housing inequality.

The revised Housing Allocations Policy (HomePoint) will ensure that applicants in the greatest need are allocated social and affordable housing.

Key changes to the housing policy include:-

• Increasing the number of bands contained in the policy from four to seven, to ensure people’s housing needs are better managed within the policy.
• Introducing a local connection criterion, where, subject to statutory exceptions, those who qualify must have been living in Shropshire for the last year or more, have close family living in Shropshire, or be employed in Shropshire.

New applicants who have sufficient income to purchase or rent market-priced housing within Shropshire which is suitable for their needs would not qualify to be on the housing register.

Therefore, the new policy introduces a threshold household income of £50,000 gross per annum, or savings and assets (including equity in a property) of more than £200,000, or both. Those new applicants on and above this threshold would not qualify to be on the housing register.

Those who may no longer qualify to be on the housing register, on the basis of not having a local connection, will be notified and advised on their right to appeal. There are transitional arrangements in the short term, so this will not take place immediately.

The policy also introduces formal nominations agreements with housing associations operating in Shropshire. This will ensure that applicants in the greatest housing need are allocated social and affordable housing.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for housing and assets, said:-

“As a council we have a statutory duty to ensure those with the greatest needs have access to social and affordable housing.

“Our revised allocations policy aims to prevent and tackle homelessness; promote independent living and reduce admissions to residential care; and enable key workers on low incomes to access affordable housing.

“Prior to its adoption, there had been a public consultation period regarding the changes. The policy and scheme seek to make best use of the flexibilities provided under the Housing Act 1996, to ensure social housing is allocated to those in the greatest need and support strategic housing priorities.

“The changes to the housing allocations policy and scheme will ensure that all forms of social housing are allocated to those people in the greatest housing need.

“The new policy and scheme will provide us with a much fairer and more sustainable approach to housing provision in Shropshire.”

The new policy moves the Shropshire HomePoint banding system from four bands (Priority, Gold, Silver and Bronze) to seven bands. A copy of the new allocation policy can be found here – Microsoft Word – Revised Housing Allocations Policy and Scheme March 2023 (shropshire.gov.uk)

To implement the policy changes the HomePoint phone lines will be closed funtil Sunday 13 August 2023. Phone lines reopen Monday 14 August 2023.

There will not be any property cycles on Wednesday 2 August 2023.

The email address enquiries@shropshirehomepoint.co.uk will be monitored over the period of closure, and we encourage you to send any enquiries so we can respond. Please bear in mind the additional work at this period, and understand there may be a delay in our response.