On 17th September 2024 Finance and Policy Committee approved a new Allocation Policy for Hartlepool. These changes will be effective from Monday 11th November 2024. Please note that existing applications will not be adversely affected by the changes and they will only apply to new applications processed from Monday 11th November 2024.
The main changes to the policy include:
Changes to the priority bandings
- Band 1+ added to prioritise applicants in temporary accommodation (B&B, hotels, crash pads) above other homeless households who are owed the statutory homeless, prevention or relief duty.
- Category F added to Band 1 for people who need to move on emergency medical grounds to prevent them from having to present as homeless.
- Category added to Band 2 for homeless applicants without a priority need.
- Definition for supported accommodation under Band 2 assessed as ready for independent living updated.
- Definition for care leavers in Band 2 updated.
- Band 3 people sharing facilities definition updated to remove relationship breakdown from this priority.
- Band 4 – additional categories added to include people in rent arrears, criminal convictions/anti-social behaviour or no local connection.
Assessing under-occupation, overcrowding, property entitlement and additional bedrooms
- Updated to include how we will assess gender for bedroom need.
- How we will assess an extra bedroom for a carer has been made clearer.
- How we will assess an extra bedroom for access arrangements has been made clearer and how we will only award 1 extra bedroom as standard.
- How we will assess access arrangements has been made clearer and includes where there is an amicable agreement and where an applicant presents as homeless.
Best use of housing stock has been added as a section to include criteria around who is eligible for what type of property.
Changes to Local Connection
- Local connection amended from the current definition to include 2 years residency in Hartlepool.
- Local connection updated with regard to close family connection and place of work.
- Exemptions to the local connection definition updated.