Council’s Cabinet agrees to increase Low Cost Home Ownership offering in Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to implement a new Social Housing Allocations Policy that will continue to address housing pressures and reduce the time that those in greatest housing need wait for social housing.

Based on the successful Emergency Allocations Policy introduced in 2023, the new Social Housing Allocations Policy has been developed following a 12 week consultation.

The Policy enables homes to be directly matched to applicants most in need, such as those who are homeless, are at risk of homelessness or in urgent housing need. It will also enable homes to be allocated more quickly and to those residents they are most suitable for.

The Social Housing Allocations Policy has three defined bands:

Band A: Additional preference – those who are homeless, are at risk of homelessness or have an urgent housing need.

Band B: Housing need: Reasonable preference – including residents who need to move due to medical/welfare needs, are looking to transfer to a smaller property (under-occupying), want to move from an adapted home they no longer need or are currently living in an overcrowded/insanitary property.

Band C: Applicants who have no housing need

Applicants who can financially meet their own housing need, do not have a local connection to Carmarthenshire or they/a member of their household have been found guilty of unacceptable behaviour are given no priority under this policy.

As a part of the Policy, applicants will be sent reminders to re-register their interest on the 6 and 12 month anniversary of their registration date. Failure to re-register, to use their account or to bid for properties that meet their needs may mean that applicants will be removed from the Housing Register to ensure that only those in need of the service are registered. Help to use the Housing Register will be provided to anyone who needs it.

All homes will be directly matched and only if a property cannot be matched will it be advertised on home finder website, Canfod Cartref.

Cllr Linda Davies Evans, Cabinet Member for Homes said:

“The Emergency Policy has enabled the Council to more clearly define the needs of those on the register and allows us to allocate suitable housing more quickly to those in greatest housing need.”

“I’m delighted that we can now introduce this Policy on a permanent basis, following the success of the Emergency Policy.”