Housing allocations scheme consultation

We are proposing the following changes to our Allocations Scheme: 

• Clarify our qualification criteria by making it clear that local connection can be obtained through residence through a family member who has lived in the borough for the last 5 years and that the individual has a health/welfare need  
• Amend the retention of local connection for households who accept an offer of out of borough accommodation under the prevention duty for a period of three years rather than for the duration of the stay in that accommodation
• Extend the retention of local connection for households who accept an offer of out of brough accommodation under the relief and main housing duty 
• Increase the financial thresholds set for being able to join the Council’s Housing Register 
• Reducing timeframe that someone is unable to join the Housing Register where fraud/deception in obtaining a tenancy has been detected, where there have been tenancy breaches and in circumstances where someone has given up a social or private rented sector accommodation 
• Revise the age of bedroom allocation from 16 years to 18 years
• Revise the banding placements of homeless households owed the prevention, relief and main housing duty 

A summary of overview of the changes can be found in the attached document ‘Summary of proposed changes to Runnymede Borough Council’s Allocations Scheme’.