People applying to join Rotherham Council’s Housing Register must soon meet new, tougher residency or work requirements, as the Council seeks to ensure the needs of local people are met.
It is one of 22 changes to the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy, which is expected to be approved by Cabinet on Monday 15 September, following a public consultation earlier this year.
The revised policy sets out who qualifies for Council housing, how priority is awarded, and ensures the process remains fair, transparent, and consistent. It aims to ensure homes go to those in greatest housing need, and supports the Council’s Homelessness Strategy, while making the best use of available housing stock.
The Council is on track to deliver 1,000 new Council homes by summer 2027, but demand continues to rise - driven by factors including the cost of living crisis. More than 7,000 people are currently on the Housing Register but only about 1,000 council homes become available to new tenants each year.
Key changes proposed include:
- Residency requirement: In almost all cases, applicants must have lived or worked in Rotherham for three out of the last four years. The rule is intended to make allowance for those who may move out of the borough for a short period, to ensure they are not penalised if they temporarily cross into a neighbouring council area.
- Priority bandings: Band 1 is now reserved for those in emergency housing need, where accommodation is required within weeks due to potentially life-threatening circumstances. If an applicant refuses one suitable offer in Band 1, their housing application will be re-assessed and placed in a band reflective of their circumstances, with one further offer remaining.
- Veterans and care leavers: Priority will be given to former members of the Armed Forces and Rotherham’s care leavers under 25 living in housing need. These groups are also among those exempt from the residency test.
- Most appropriate use of houses: Rules will be tightened to ensure that larger properties will be prioritised for families rather than single people.
- Evictions: Applicants evicted from a Council or Housing Association tenancy may be excluded from the register for up to five years, with a loophole that allows tenants to avoid this by leaving their tenancy early being closed.
- Reassessment: All current applicants, across all bands, will be reassessed under the new policy to ensure fairness and consistency.
The Council is proposed to continue with a “general needs” band, to ensure that everyone on the register is able to bid for and access some properties, and for the first time all new build properties will be open to those on the housing register who are not current council tenants.
Cllr Linda Beresford, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “The Council is committed to supporting residents with their housing needs and enabling them to live well.
“While we’re on track to deliver 1,000 new Council homes by summer 2027 with the biggest new Council homes programme since the 1970s, but demand continues to rise. Sadly over the last few decades, the number of council properties in Rotherham has fallen by 50% as a result of the Right to Buy national rules.
“So we have to make some difficult decisions about who is prioritised for Council homes. These changes, which were broadly supported by residents in the consultation, are tough but fair - they ensure we prioritise those in genuine need and make the best use of the homes we have.
“We’ve listened to the public and shaped the policy to reflect their views. Importantly, you don’t need to be a current tenant to benefit - this is about helping people who need housing most, and doing so in a way that’s fair, transparent, and sustainable.
“We’re building good quality, affordable Council homes for Rotherham people and families.”
To view the full report visit: https://moderngov.rotherham.gov.uk/documents/s154130/Report%20-%20Housing%20Allocation%20Policy.pdf
