A new Salford social housing allocations policy is moving long-term residents up the queue while removing more than one thousand households from the waiting list.
Major updates include the ‘local connection – residency’ criteria increasing from two years to five years, as well as the local connection through family association criteria being removed completely.
The updated policy has 16 changes from the previous policy, with the changes set to remove approximately 1,300 households from the housing register.
Approximately 4,500 households are on the register at any one time, but only about 1,000 homes become available through the register per year.
Salford Council stated: “The overall aim is to make sure that people who are most in need are given priority, taking into account local considerations and needs.”
Attempts to reduce overcrowding mean that points will be now be awarded per extra bedroom needed and per person requiring that bedroom.
Perpetrators of domestic abuse will now be allowed to join the housing register if “they can demonstrate they are actively engaged in a perpetrator programme.”
Salford Council has said the changes, set to be implemented from November 27, will make the allocation system fairer, transparent and easy to understand.
Councillor Tracy Kelly, Lead Member for Housing and Anti-Poverty, said: “Our updated policy is all about making sure that socially rented homes are allocated on a fair basis and those who are most vulnerable or in need get them first.
“Preventing homelessness from happening in the first place is a key priority, alongside reducing the amount of time people have to stay in temporary accommodation.”
Those who are threatened with homelessness will receive the greatest levels of priority on the register in an attempt to prevent homelessness across the city.
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