Housing allocations policy is changing

We are legally required to have a housing allocations scheme. This is a set of rules that says who we will accept applications for housing from and how we will decide who has priority. The full scheme is quite long but this page explains the key points.

There are currently more than 13,300 live applications on our housing register, and we receive around 350 new applications each month. Some of these people are council tenants who need to transfer to accommodation more suitable for them, while some of them are living in privately rented homes, with friends, or with their families. Some have become homeless and are living in temporary accommodation provided by the council.

Some people will not be accepted onto our housing register and some of the reasons for this are:

• households that have not lived in the borough continuously for the last five years at the point of making the application - if you do not meet this residence criterion, we will consider any exceptional circumstances you tell us that are specific to your household
• where an applicant or joint applicants is below 18 years
• where a non-UK applicant is subject to immigration control
• EU nationals who do not have right to reside in UK or habitual residence
• where the applicant, or any member of their household, has been found guilty of serious anti-social behaviour, and we consider that they are unsuitable to be a tenant as a result
• where they, or any member of their household, have assaulted a member of staff and an injunction is being applied for or has already been obtained
• where they, or any member of the household have knowingly given false or misleading information, or withheld information that has been reasonably requested (in this case we may also prosecute).
• applicant or household engaged in unlawful activities and causing nuisance to their neighbour or neighbourhood
• tenant who breached tenancy agreement not limiting to allowing property to be used for illegal or immoral purposes
• Ealing Council tenant who allowed the condition of the property to fall into significant disrepair
• lost a social housing tenancy from subletting
• households with capital assets of over £24,000
• households with a joint income dependent on the bedroom size:
  • studio and 1 bedroom – maximum income £35,000 per annum
  • bedroom – maximum income £45,000 per annum
  • bedroom – maximum income £50,000 per annum
  • bedroom or larger – maximum income £60,000 per annum
• households that bid down a bedroom size, for example a household assessed as being a 3-bedroom housing need who bid for a 2-bedroom property will be assessed at the maximum income level of their assessed housing need, in this case a 3-bedroom need

If we decide you cannot join the housing register, we will tell you in writing. You can ask us to review.