Higher priority on council housing list to go to those just out of care or escaping abuse

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Care leavers and domestic abuse survivors in Southwark will be given a better chance of securing council homes.

Proposed changes to how the council allocates social housing will see young adults leaving care given the highest priority band, while those fleeing domestic abuse will be given the second highest band.

The band a person is placed in determines how likely they are to be offered a council home when they bid for one.

Those in higher bands have more chance of securing a property, while those in lower bands have less. While the bands are currently labelled 1-4, the updated policy will replace this with Bands A-E, creating an extra band.

Southwark care leavers are currently placed in the council’s second highest priority band (Band B under the new system), while domestic abuse survivors are in the second lowest priority band (Band C).

With the changes, care leavers will be in Band A while domestic abuse survivors will be in Band B.

Cllr Sarah King, Southwark’s cabinet member for council homes, said the proposed changes would ensure properties went to those most in need.

She said: “Council homes change lives. In Southwark the demand for council homes is huge, as it is across London. That’s why it’s so important they go to the people in the very greatest need.

“We’ve updated our proposed allocations scheme to give priority to those most in need, including for example young adults leaving the care of Southwark council, and for people who are escaping domestic violence.”

Southwark’s current housing allocation scheme is from 2014 and needs updating in line with legal requirements and government guidance.

The demand for social rented housing has increased over the last decade and there are fewer social rented homes available to let today compared to when the council introduced the policy.

More than 18,000 people are on the council’s housing waiting list, including more than 4,000 families in temporary accommodation.

The average waiting time for a three-bedroom council home in Southwark is over five years and each year less than 10 per cent of applicants will be offered social housing.

The draft housing allocation scheme is now available to view on the council’s website. Residents can share their views on the updated policy until June 1.

Pictured top: The Aylesbury estate in Walworth – one of the areas where properties are much in need (Picture: LDRS/Robert Firth)