Housing Allocations Policy Review Phase 2: draft policy

Following our phase 1 consultation in early 2025, we have reviewed all the feedback and been working with our partners in Durham Key Options to develop a new housing allocations policy, a draft of which is available on this page. 

What is happening now? 

We’d like your views on the draft policy. In particular, we’d like to hear comments about the following which have been reviewed and updated: 

• The proposed qualification and disqualification rules for the housing register 
• A proposed new banding structure for housing needs 
• Maintaining balanced and sustainable communities  

Please note, this is a draft policy and nothing will change for housing register applicants at this point. Responses to the proposals in the policy will be analysed and the policy will be amended if necessary. We therefore encourage you to give your feedback. 

What to do now?

Please read the draft policy and, most importantly, the supporting information, outlined below, which explains how the policy has been developed and what has changed. 

How has the new policy been developed? 

The new policy has been developed from the following: 

• A detailed review of feedback received from residents, tenants, housing applicants and partners in the phase 1 consultation which took place early in 2025.  
• The housing challenges we face in County Durham including the shortage of social housing stock, affordability of private rented accommodation and the practicalities of dealing with the impact of this for those in housing need. 
• Other policy changes at both a local and national level. 

Overview of the current challenges 

We currently have approximately 10,000 people on our housing register but only 3,000 housing lets per year. The number on the register has increased by approximately 25% since 2020 as demand for social housing has increased due to cost of living pressures and there being less cheap private-rented accommodation.  

There are also less lets available as people stay in their tenancies longer. With annual lets down from 5,000 ten years ago to 3,000 now, waiting times are much longer especially for people in Bands 3 and 4.  

There are 5,000 people in Bands 3 and 4 who currently have little chance of securing a social tenancy. This creates frustration for the people who are in that situation. Being able to offer more properties to those in bands 3 and 4 will allow us to meet our aim of achieving balanced and sustainable communities. 

Draft housing allocations policy

Supporting information

Before responding, please read the supporting information, outlined below, which describes the issues highlighted in phase 1 of the consultation, summarises feedback and outlines how the policy has been updated to reflect this.  The information on this page is also included in the PDF below.

There is also more detail included in January's Cabinet report, agenda item 7.

Proposed changes relating to qualification and disqualification from the housing register 

The main rule changes are outlined below. The full information on qualification and disqualification is set out in the draft policy in section 2, pages 7 to 15.

Proposed changes relating to housing bands

The main information about housing band changes is outlined below. The full information on housing band priorities is set out in the draft policy in section 4, pages 20 to 29. 

Approach to balanced and sustainable communities 

The main proposals to support balanced and sustainable communities are outlined below. The full information on balanced and sustainable communities is set out in the draft policy in section 5, pages 31 to 34.