AGENDA ITEM 6
BOROUGH OF POOLE
REPORT TO CABINET.
7TH OCTOBER 2003
ALLOCATIONS POLICY REVIEW
1. Purpose of the Report
1.1 Following consideration of the Community support overview group to make recommendations on changes to the Allocations Policy which meets legislative requirements and recommendations included in the Best Value Review of Homelessness and Allocations Action Plan.
2. Decisions Required
2.1 Community Support Policy and Overview Group recommends that the current points based Allocations Policy is revoked and that a date order priority system, accompanied by Priority Cards.
2.2 Community support Policy and overview group recommends the implementation of a Choice Based Allocations Policy across the Borough .
2.3 Community support policy and overview group recommends the use of targets for re-housing applicants living outside of Poole .
3. Background
3.1. Community support Policy and overview group met on the 30th September to consider the following report. On the basis of their deliberations they made the recommendations set out above.
3.2.Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 relates to the process by which people apply and are considered for the allocation of social housing. The Homelessness Act 2002 introduced substantial revisions to Part 6.
3.3 The main policy objectives behind the amendments to Part 6 contained in the 2002 Act are;
i) To facilitate the introduction by housing authorities of allocation schemes that offer new applicants and existing tenants a more active role in choosing their accommodation.
ii) To ensure the widest possible access to social housing for applicants by;
Removing the power for authorities to implement blanket exclusions of certain categories of applicant. In its place housing authorities are given the power to decide that individual applicants are unsuitable to be tenants as a result of serious unacceptable behaviour.
Housing Authorities must consider all applications, and cannot exclude applicants who, for example, are not currently resident in the borough. However, in determining relative priorities for an allocation, authorities are able to have regard to whether or not applicants have a local connection within the district.
3.4 The Office of Deputy Prime Minister’s recent Communities Plan report makes strong recommendations about the use of choice based lettings as a tool for creating sustainable communities.
3.5 The Borough of Poole’s own Housing Strategy Statement also focuses on More Choice as one of its objectives and states that ‘The Council sees the provision of choice for those seeking housing as an essential ingredient in securing sustainable communities.’
4. Consultation
4.1 Consultation has been the key to this review. We have conducted a postal survey of all housing register applicants, which received 350 responses. We also ran two focus groups of 30 applicants. Stakeholders of the allocations service were invited to our Stakeholders Day and took part in a workshop focusing on ideas for the new policy. A presentation has been made to Housing Consultative Panel, which was well received and our Housing Management and Registered Social Landlord partners are supportive of our proposals.
4.2 Results of the postal survey and the focus groups are shown in Appendix a.
4.3 The proposals for the new Allocations Policy have been very much shaped around the results of our consultation.
5. Choice Based Lettings
5.1 One of the objectives of the new legislation is to promote the use of choice based lettings schemes. It is anticipated that the government will expect all housing authorities to make allocations on this basis in the future.
5.2 Our own choice based pilot scheme, Home Choice has proven to be a success with those who have used it. Our postal survey asked applicants who had been involved in the Home Choice pilot to state their level of satisfaction with the scheme. 60% of the respondents stated that they were happy with the service.
5.3 The Home Choice pilot, whilst it was popular with applicants, did not fulfil its objectives in terms of cutting down void times or reducing refusal rates. Our review of the pilot schemes concludes that using the current allocations policy and the two least popular estates in Poole was its downfall. In order to make a choice based lettings scheme work, it has to operate outside a points system and across all areas of the Borough, allowing maximum choice.
5.4 In our survey, we asked applicants whether they were in favour of choice based lettings across the borough. 78% stated that they were.
5.5 It is proposed that choice based lettings is adopted by the Borough of Poole as our way of allocating properties to applicants.
5.6 Properties will be advertised weekly through information posted in reception on notice boards and also at libraries. Applicants will also be able to log onto the Borough of Poole website to view lists of properties and will be able to respond via an email link. There will also be a voicemail service where applicants can call in, listen to weekly property listings and apply through completing pre-printed coupons. Responding to these adverts will be the only way in which applicants will be considered for properties.
6. Date Order Priority System
6.1 The Best Value Review of Homelessness and Allocations made a recommendation for the points based priority system to be reviewed.
6.2 The current points based system has been in place for many years and is complex and difficult to understand. Whilst it is the most accurate way of establishing need, it does encourage applicants to chase points and gives no incentive, in fact gives a disincentive to them resolving their own housing situation, as applicants who do, loose any points they may have had.
6.3 The Best Value Action Plan from the Homelessness and Allocations Review states that applicants who resolve their own housing situations by securing privately rented accommodation should be awarded some sort of priority in recognition that whilst they might be adequately housed, their accommodation is short term and therefore they still have a housing need. The current points system does not take account of this.
6.4 The current system also allows applicants to ‘leapfrog’ and therefore the top ten applicants list fluctuates regularly. This makes it extremely difficult to give advice about the applicant’s position on the list.
6.5 It is proposed that the points system is revoked and that a date order priority system is introduced in its place.
6.6 The Best Value Review of Homelessness and Allocations highlighted the fact that better provision of information and advice about the allocations process was needed. The date order system will allow us to give more reliable information about an applicants position on the list and will allow applicants to make more informed choices about the housing situations.
6.7 Legislation sets out priority groups who must be given ‘reasonable preference’ for allocations. In order to comply with this, it is proposed that applicants who can demonstrate an immediate need for re-housing on the grounds listed in 6.10, will be awarded Priority Cards and therefore will be considered ahead of date order applicants.
6.8 Under the current system of awarding 500 points to applicants in immediate need of re-housing, applicants who refuse two suitable offers of accommodation have their points reviewed so that they are more in line with their actual need. It is proposed that Priority Cards will be time limited, to allow applicants with that priority to be considered for accommodation within the stated period, and to ensure that their priority for ‘immediate housing’ does not continue on an ongoing basis, therefore disadvantaging others further down the list.
6.9 Time limits for priority cards will have to be realistic and will take account of the supply of accommodation suitable for that applicant.
6.10 Priority Card Groups;
i)Applicants with an immediate need for re-housing on medical grounds
ii)Applicants with an immediate need for re-housing on social grounds
iii)Applicants accepted as Homeless
iv)Applicants who are under-occupying Council or Housing Association accommodation
v)Applicants who are legally overcrowded in their accommodation
6.11 Applicants with an immediate need for re-housing on medical grounds will no longer have their application assessed by the appointed medical officer. It is considered that this is not an appropriate method of assessment, as it is not possible to apply housing need to the medical information given by the applicant’s GP.
6.12 It is proposed that applicants who state on their application form that they have a medical condition which is affected by their housing will be asked to provide a letter from their GP. Our Visiting Officer will then visit the applicant at home to establish how that medical condition is affected by their housing situation in real terms and a report will then be considered by a medical panel comprising of Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, the Housing Needs Manager, Housing Officers, a Health Visitor and a Housing Resources Officer who will provide advice to assist the panel in determining the time limit which should be attached to Priority Cards.
6.13 It is proposed that applicants who state on their application form that they have an immediate need to move on social grounds will continue to be considered by the Social Panel. A Housing Resources Officer will also attend to provide advice to assist the panel in determining the time limit which should be attached to Priority Cards.
6.14 It is proposed that applicants who have been accepted as Homeless and placed in temporary accommodation will be awarded a Priority Card on the 18 month anniversary of their acceptance. This priority card will be valid for 6 months. If the applicant has not accepted a suitable offer, or indeed, has not applied for any properties advertised through Home Choice, they will be made one suitable offer of accommodation upon expiration of their card. This will be in either the East or West of the Borough. If the applicant refuses their final offer, the Borough of Poole will discharge it’s duty to them and no further assistance will be provided.
6.15 Applicants who are under-occupying Council or Housing Association accommodation will be awarded a Priority Card and there will be no time limit imposed. It is hoped that this will provide an incentive to under-occupiers and that this will result in best use of available resources.
6.16 Applicants who are legally overcrowded as defined by the Housing Act 1957, the most recent definition, will be awarded a priority card which will be time limited according to the type of accommodation they require. The definition is attached at Appendix b.
6.17 Guidance on time limiting priority cards for each property type is included in Appendix c.
6.18 The Allocations Policy Review Group have carried out test cases to ensure that applicants will not be disadvantaged by this new system. The top 20 applicants on the Housing Register were assessed and it was concluded that there was not a significant number which would be disadvantaged by the introduction of the new system.
6.19 Analysis of the current high priority groups compared against the number of lettings made each year shows that whilst the majority of the allocations made in the first year may be made to applicants with a Priority Card, there will be the opportunity to allocate to date order applicants.
7. Refusals Policy
7.1 Further to consultation with Housing Management Services, Housing Associations and also Housing Register Applicants, it is proposed that the current refusals policy of two offers is retained.
8. Home Choice Plus – The Housing Options Service
8.1 In order to improve the information service provided to applicants and make best use of the opportunities presented by the proposed new system, it is intended that applicants are encouraged to resolve their housing situation whilst waiting to be considered for housing with the help of Home Choice Plus.
8.2 In order to give affective advice to applicants about their position on the list it is proposed that applicants will be advised of their position by way of a banding system.
- Green Band – Well placed and likely to be considered for properties they apply for
- Amber Band – May be considered for some properties where there is less demand
- Red Band – Unlikely to be considered at this time
8.3 To assist applicants in determining their chances of being considered for a property when they see one advertised, properties will also be banded.
- Green Band – Popular, high demand properties. Green Band applicants are only likely to be considered
- Amber Band – Green and Amber band applicants may be considered
- Red Band – Applicants in any band may apply
8.4 Through the use of the banding system, applicants will be able to make their own assumptions about their position on the list. In addition to this, we will be able to give them advice about how long they may have to wait before they progress to the Green Band by looking at recent allocations made.
8.5 It is proposed that applicants will be able to request a Housing Options Interview, where they will be given advice about securing Privately Rented Accommodation and Low Cost Home Ownership.
8.6 We will also include privately rented accommodation available through our own Homes 4 Let service and properties through our Low Cost Home Ownership Service in our weekly adverts.
9. Financial Implications
9.1 The current budget for medical assessments by the appointed medical officer amounts to £5,500 per year. By making our own assessments through the use of the medical panel, this amount will be saved. It is proposed that this saving is used to fund the Home Choice Scheme.
9.2 The most cost effective way of reaching as many applicants as possible is to advertise through the package described in 5.6. This package can be delivered with the £5,500 per annum budget.
9.3 This new system will bring about efficiencies for the unit in general, through time spent inputting application forms, the cost of producing lengthy application forms and guidance notes. It is proposed that these resources are focused on information provision and advice.
10. Implementation
10.1 It is proposed that implementation is phased, with date order priority being introduced at the end of October, to co-inside with the introduction of the new Academy computer system.
10.2 In order to assure that applicants are aware of the change, it is proposed that articles are included in Poole News, Home Page (our Allocations newsletter) and with Re-registration letters. It was also agreed that training for staff would be made available through team brief.
10.3 It is proposed that Choice Based Lettings (Home Choice and Home Choice Plus) is introduced in February 2004.
10.4 The following groups have been identified as requiring training;
- RSL Forum
- Housing Management Staff
- Poole Housing Forum
10.5 It is also proposed that Housing and Community Services will run an Enquiries Week through Housing reception, where two members of staff would staff reception purely to deal with Home Choice enquiries.
10.6 These measures should ensure that wherever possible, all stakeholders of the allocations service are aware of the changes to be made and that they understand the implications of this.
11. Conclusion
11.1 It is the view of the Allocations Policy Review Group that the recommendations and proposals for the future of the way we allocate properties included in this report is a change which meets legislative requirements, takes account of recommendations made in the Best Value Review of Homelessness and Allocations, and meets the aspirations of those on our housing register. It also meets the Borough’s own objectives as set out in the Housing Strategy Statement.
SIMON HENDEY
HEAD OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Officer Contact – Kelly Ansell
BACKGROUND PAPERS
The Housing Act 1996 – Part 6
The Homelessness Act 2002
Allocation Code of Guidance (ODPM)
Best Value Review of Homelessness and Allocations Action Plan
The Communities Plan (ODPM)
Borough of Poole Housing Strategy Statement 2002-2005
1