How can I earn 100 housing points in my council’s Housing Allocation Scheme?

This blog answers the question “How can I earn 100 housing points in my council’s Housing Allocation Scheme?” 

100 Housing Points are usually awarded on your council’s Housing Allocation scheme if you qualify for the definition of being “legally homeless” This blog uses the Camden Council Housing Allocation Scheme to explain how to earn points in each category of the scheme.

How can I earn 100 housing points in my council’s Housing Allocation Scheme?

You can earn 100 Housing points on your council’s Housing Allocation Scheme in a number of ways. One category (A2) is for applicants who have been made homeless or are in danger of being made homeless and have accepted an offer of social housing from their council, which has remedied their situation.

Another classification (Category F) which also gets 100 housing points is of applicants who have had to transfer their place of residence for giving or receiving long term care. Category A1 for people who fit the definition of being “legally homeless” are awarded 100 housing points in the Housing Allocation Scheme.

If you have been given a notice to relocate from your sheltered accommodation or to move out of your home with a relative within 56 days, you can claim 50 points in the period prior to being made homeless. You can also claim 50 points in the 4 months after being made homeless.So you will end up with a total of 100 housing points in this case.

Which housing allocation scheme applicants fall into category A of the scheme?

The points system for your entitlement to the Housing Allocation Scheme divides applicants into 8 groups. These housing scheme applicants which fall into category A of the scheme are:

• Those who are on the verge of becoming homeless (or have been made homeless), are entitled to 50 points for a period of 56 days prior to the loss of their place of shelter. And for an additional 50 points each month for the next four months. 

This notice of 56 days to leave your accommodation could be if you are living with your family and have been asked to leave the premises within the next 56 days. It could also be because you live in a caravan and cannot find housing anywhere.

• Within Group A 1 you might be awarded 100 points if you satisfy the definition for being “legally homeless” this means you have no place for living anywhere in the UK, you cannot legally move into your place of residence. 

• Another subcategory of group A 1 includes applicants at risk of being hurt or injured by a person. 

• Also included within the definition of “legally homeless” is to have a caravan or detached housing structure to live in but have no space to place it.Or it may just not be safe or feasible for you to live in your primary residence anymore because of its structural weaknesses.

Along with this requirement you need to be a resident of your council and have no direct residence in another council.

• Group A2 awards 100 housing points to those who fall within its classification. This group consists of homeless people (or those at risk of becoming homeless) who have accepted an offer from their council to rent accommodation (in the private sector). In this case the council would normally be responsible for rectifying your homelessness condition.

• An extra 100 points are also awarded (bringing the total to 200 housing points) for legally homeless people who are provided accommodation by the council which prevents them from being homeless for 6 months or more.

Which housing scheme applicants fall into Category B of the scheme?

Group B1 consists of points allocated to residents of unhygienic or overcrowded accommodations. You will get 50 points if you are sharing a shower, toilet and eating space with others. You will also get 50 points if you are sharing your household with dependent children. The same condition applies if you have a pregnant woman residing in your accommodation with you.

Overcrowded accommodations are evaluated on the basis of the number of bedrooms you currently have and the number of bedrooms you should have for all the people living there.

You will be awarded 300 points if you are a private tenant who is renting a property and now you find your health in imminent danger of deterioration due to the cramped or unhygienic living conditions of the accommodation. The council will examine your case and will decide whether the property is truly uninhabitable, overcrowded and hazardous to your health. The council will also decide and conclude that there is no way of improving your living conditions.

You get an extra 50 points if your accommodation is considered hazardous to your health and the person or co tenants living with you are other than your spouse or civil partner.

Which housing scheme applicants fall into Group C of the scheme?

Group C consists of applicants to the Housing Allocation Scheme with health conditions which require certain living requirements. Your eligibility requirements need to be assessed by the council’s medical assessment doctor or by any other licensed general practitioner. 

You need to prove to the council that your current accommodation’s conditions aggravate your health and that the property cannot be renovated to suit your needs at a reasonable cost. There are 3 categories for this medical assessment.

•  Category 1 gives you 500 points if your current accommodation is unsuitable for your health needs and you will be well suited to live in an apartment. You should also be required to be shifted to this apartment urgently.

• Category 2 gives you 150 housing points if your current accommodation is not suited to your health needs and you require urgent rehousing.

Which housing allocation scheme applicants fall into Group D of the scheme?

Category D is for applicants whose life is under threat in their current accomodation owing to harassment or violence. This category includes cases :

• Where your life or livelihood is endangered by intimidation or harassment and you have an urgent requirement for rehousing you will get 600 points.

• Where you are escaping intimidation or physical injury and require rehousing, you will be given 150 points. These points will at first be allocated for a 6 month period and then reevaluated.

Which housing allocation scheme applicants fall into Group E of the scheme?

Groupe E is allocated to applicants to the Housing Allocation Scheme with additional needs. These additional needs may include:

• 300 points based on proof of the skills required to sustain a successful tenancy. An appropriate housing allocation scheme officer has agreed to award this 300 points to your application.The decision to award these points must have been made before your tenancy had expired.You should also be eligible for being allocated council housing.

• If you have recently moved from or are planning to move from a hospital, rehabilitation centre or care facility and have nowhere to go to you will be considered for being provided housing accommodation in Group E. 

• If you are aged 25 years or younger and the council was looking after you under a caregiving agreement until now and this provision recently expired, you will be eligible for 200 housing points.

• If you have complex and ongoing mental health problems along with a Care Programme Approach for planning and evaluating your needs. Your mobility needs cannot be satisfied in the private rental sector because of the need for a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle

Which housing allocation scheme applicants fall in Group F of the scheme?

The following kinds of housing allocation scheme applicants are considered in Group F:

• If you need a larger accommodation to continue your role as a foster parent, you will be awarded 150 points

• If you are a carer for one or more children under a “Special Guardianship Order” and this effort has overcrowded your residence, you will be granted 150 points

• If you are required to move your place of residence to give or to receive long term care, you will be awarded 100 points

• If you are availing specialist support facilities in the council, you will be awarded 75 points

• If you are required to shift your residence to start a job(paying above the minimum wage) or take up an apprenticeship in another region of the council, you will be awarded 75 points. In this case the employment contract or internship should be of a period of 12 months or more.

• If you are moving to a certain area to avail an employment or training programme which is only offered there, you will be awarded 75 points

Group G relates to applicants to the housing allocation scheme who would like to transfer their current accommodation. These people are already council tenants whose residence is not suitable for their needs. They will be granted 30 points

Group H is for former or serving members of the British armed forces who have already been awarded some points in the categories (A-G) and wish to be granted additional points in the Housing Allocation Scheme.They will be awarded 50 points.

All the above mentioned Housing Allocation Scheme rules apply to the Camden Council Housing Allocation Scheme.

What is the Mobility Transfer Scheme?

The Mobility Transfer Scheme ensures that the people who are living on the ground floor in an accommodation are the ones who require being there the most. Some people living on the ground floor of a residence don’t require its location to cater to any special needs. These ground floor residences would be better used to care for tenants who require using wheelchairs or other mobility related equipment.

You qualify to apply for the Mobility Transfer Scheme if you have a property with a ground floor entrance, have no steps inside or outside your property and have at least one bedroom. You should not have a medical need for the ground floor property yourself.

If you wish to move to a higher floor or to another property of similar size you can be offered a cash incentive, help to arrange for shifting your belongings to the higher floor and a higher allocation of housing points on your council’s social housing programme.

Conclusion

This blog post addressed the question “How Can I have 100 Housing points in my council’s Housing Allocation Scheme?” Housing points keep on being accumulated over time in a council’s Housing Allocation Scheme. Having 100 points will put you behind someone who has 500 or 600 points for more urgent needs to relocate housing but it will show that you are “legally homeless” or at risk of being out on the streets in the near future.

Please feel free to comment on the content or ask any questions in the comments section below :

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) : How Can I have 100 housing points in my council’s Housing Allocation Scheme?

What is considered as unacceptable behaviour for applicants of the Housing Allocation Scheme?

Under Section 160A of the Housing Act 1996 an applicant can be considered ineligible for an award of social housing if it is confirmed the applicant or any member of his family has been charged with unacceptable behaviour. Such conduct includes but is not limited to:

• Refusal to pay the rent a repeated number of times

• Use of threats or violence or any similar antisocial behaviour against any member of the council’s community housing department or a registered housing provider.

• A person being cautioned for an offence such as dishonesty or sexual harrassment

• Having a restraining order issued against  you for domestic violence

• Having been evicted from the tenancy of a landlord.

• Being caught committing any actions such as falsifying or not disclosing any information relating to council benefits, utility bills or other public funds

• Using a property for conduction illegal activities

• Being caught commiting and being charged with a racial, homophobic or other action of involving violence or prejudice.

What happens if a Housing Association tenant dies without an executor or a will?

If a Housing Association tenant dies without an executor or will, the tenancy is transferred to a Public Trustee.This can also be the case if the person dies with a will but without an executor. In order to reclaim your property from the Public Trustee you will need to :

• Post or personally deliver a letter on the person’s last known address mentioning that you have presented them with a legal notification

• Email a copy of your notification and a copy of a completely filled NH1 form to the Public Trustee’s email address

• Submit an application fee to the Public Trustee. This completes the registration of your legal notice

The application fee of £40 needs to be sent to the account of the Public Trustee. Details: Account Number 10014069, Sort Code 802650. This fee can only be sent through Bacs payments.

Is there a scheme for the regulation of wheelchair use?

Candidates are evaluated on their property and its facilities provided for a disabled person including :

• Candidates score 200 points if their property is located on the ground floor and is assessed as compatible for use by disabled persons.

• Residences with built in adaptability for wheelchair users