PEOPLE in Hillingdon are being asked for their views on how council and housing association homes are allocated.

A 10-week consultation began this week.   

Councils are required to have a method of assessing housing need, advertising social housing and allocating properties. 

The current allocation system in Hillingdon uses four categories, A to D, to rank housing needs.

Band A has three extra categories for urgent cases. However, it has become harder to efficiently prioritise housing need as two-thirds of residents on the waiting list fall into Bands A and B.

Proposed changes to the rules will make it easier to identify who should be rehoused first.  

Key changes proposed are:  

  • increasing the number of priority bands to make the order for rehousing clearer  
  • reducing the number of additional priority categories  
  • giving increased priority to some of the most vulnerable residents  
  • allowing more overcrowded households to bid for properties below their assessed need. 

Cllr Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “We do not have enough homes for everyone on our housing register and action must be taken to carefully examine how they are allocated.”  

The consultation will run until Sunday, October 13. Visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/social-housing-consultation