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Council housing – what it is

Council housing is property that is owned by a council and not by a private individual or company.

There’s usually a very high demand for council housing and you’ll normally have to join a waiting list (sometimes known as a ‘housing register’). Joining a waiting list doesn’t guarantee you a property and you may have to wait a long time – even years.

You can often apply directly to local housing associations as well as your council. Housing associations are separate from councils but often work closely with them to house local people. For more information on housing associations see the link ‘Finding a place to live – council and housing association options’.

• Finding a place to live - your council and housing association options

How to apply for council housing

You’ll need to complete an application form and join a waiting list. Contact your council for an application form.

If you give false information in your application (for example, claiming you have children when you don’t) you’re committing housing fraud. You can be taken off a waiting list and even taken to court for housing fraud.

Who can apply for council housing

You can normally apply:

• if you’re 18 or over – although some councils let you join their waiting list if you’re 16 or over
  
• even if you don’t currently live in the area – although priority for housing is normally given to local people

You can’t normally apply if:

• you’ve been responsible for serious anti-social behaviour
  
• you owe money to another council or housing association – for example, unpaid rent

If you’re a British citizen who doesn’t normally live in the UK

You may not be eligible to apply for housing straightaway because you’re not ‘habitually resident’ in the UK. Check with your council.

If you’re not a British citizen

If you’re not a British citizen you can get information about settling in the UK from the UK Border Agency.

If you move elsewhere in the UK

You can apply for housing even if you move away and temporarily live elsewhere in the UK. This could be because you’re:

• serving in HM Forces
  
• a student at college or university
  
• serving a prison sentence

• Housing fraud - council and housing association properties

• Anti-social behaviour (crime and justice section)

How councils decide who gets housing

Council homes are normally offered to the people who need them most. Councils use either a ‘points’ or ‘banding’ (grouping) system to decide who gets offered housing first.

Points system

The more points you have, the higher up the list you are. How many points you’re awarded depends on things like, if you:

• currently live in cramped conditions and need an extra bedroom(s)
  
• work in the local area
  
• have a medical condition that’s made worse because of where you currently live
  
• are homeless or living in temporary accommodation provided by the council

Banding schemes

The banding you’re put into depends on your housing needs. There are normally between three and five bands. For example:

• band A – people with a serious medical condition who need to move urgently because their home is affecting their health
  
• band B – people with children living in overcrowded conditions – for example, you need two bedrooms more than you have
  
• band C – all other applicants

People in the same banding are normally housed in the order they joined the waiting list.

How long do you have to wait?

How quickly you get a property depends on things like, the:

• number of points you have or what banding you’re in
• size of property you need
• number of people on the waiting list wanting a similar property
• number of properties available
  

Joining a waiting list doesn’t guarantee you a council home. You can ask your council how long you may have to wait.

Overcrowding and council houses

The rules on when a property is overcrowded are complicated, and even if conditions are cramped a property may not be not ‘legally’ overcrowded. When deciding if a property is legally overcrowded, your council will consider:

• what rooms you can use to sleep in – for example, you may be expected to sleep in a living room
  
• the number of people in each room – children under ten are expected to share
  
• the amount of space in each room – children under one year old aren’t counted as a person when deciding how many people share a room

If you're concerned about overcrowding speak to your council or get advice.

Finding out about available properties

The council may:

• contact you directly about an available property
  
• invite you to use its choice-based lettings scheme

Choice-based lettings give you the opportunity to tell the council which properties you’re interested in.

• Choice-based lettings - bidding for properties that become available

If you’re offered a property

The council should explain to you why it’s chosen the property offered to you. For example, you may have expected a larger one.

Normally you only have a short time to accept an offer. If you don't accept it, you can stay on the waiting list but you may be put further down it. If you keep rejecting offers you may be taken temporarily off the waiting list.

If you’re unhappy with a council housing decision

You can ask the council to review a decision:

• about the number of points you have or what banding you’re in
  
• if it doesn’t put you on the waiting list

• Appeal a housing decision Opens new window

Where to get housing advice

Contact your council if you have difficulty completing the application form. For example, because English isn’t your first language or you need a large print or Braille version.

You can get housing advice and more detail about housing options from organisations like Shelter and Citizens Advice.

• Find your local council Opens new window

• Find your nearest Citizens Advice or Shelter advice centre Opens new window