Appendix 1 - Summary of Proposed Changes to the Common Allocations Policy
Perth and Kinross Council · 22 January 2025
Back to Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee — 22 January 2025 and its agenda
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Appendix 1 Overview of Proposed Changes to the Common Allocations Policy Proposed change Purpose of change Impact of change 1. Implement more robust guidance and auditing processes to create more consistent practice around the allocation of an additional bedroom To make best use of available vacancies whilst retaining flexibility around allocations. Staff involved in allocating vacancies will be clearer about when to allocate a two-bedroom property to a single person or couple without children. This will result in a more consistent approach and will provide greater clarity for applicants. 2. Increase points for applicants who have been asked to leave tied accommodation To create equity between applicants in similar circumstances. Applicants who have been given notice to leave tied accommodation will get the same points as those with Notice to Leave private rented accommodation. We only receive a small number of applications from people leaving tied accommodation, but this change will improve their chance of being allocated housing and avoiding the need for a homelessness application. 3. Clarify the circumstances when a care experienced young people and / or household with kinship care responsibilities would be given priority under Strategic Need To clarify in the Policy when people in these circumstances will be awarded Strategic Need priority. Specifically, there needs to be a possibility of a care-experienced young person becoming homeless or a need for a different property to enable someone to fulfil their kinship care responsibilities. This will provide greater clarity for applicants and the professionals supporting them.
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4. Increase points for people who are living ‘care-of’ with no bedroom available This change acknowledges the difference between an applicant who is living in a stable ‘care-of’ situation with their own bedroom and someone who is ‘sofa-surfing’ at one or more addresses. Applicants who are sofa-surfing may choose not to make a homelessness application to retain more choice about the type and location of property they are offered. This change will increase the likelihood of them being offered accommodation quickly to prevent them becoming homeless. 5. Clarify the level of priority for Key Workers To clarify in the Policy when people in these circumstances will be awarded Strategic Need priority. Specifically, this will introduce a definition for ‘key workers’ and will clarify that priority will only be awarded when the lack of availability of affordable housing prevents someone from taking up or continuing a key worker role. The definition is intended to allow flexibility and the decision on whether to award Strategic Need priority is made by a multi-agency, cross-service Panel rather than an individual Officer. The proposed definition of key worker is ‘a worker who fills a role regarded as vital for the community, especially in the health, education, security and infrastructure sectors’. The proposed change will provide greater clarity for all parties with an interest in key worker accommodation. 6. Greater monitoring on applications with 3 or more unrelated people on one application Additional monitoring will be introduced to flag this type of application. There is nothing in legislation to prohibit this type of application, but any property offered would need to be licensed ‘house in multiple occupation’ (HMO) and none of the CHR providers offer this type of accommodation. There will be very limited impact as we rarely receive this type of application. Where an application like this is received, the applicants will be provided with housing options advice and assistance and will have the opportunity to reconfigure the application.
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7. Clarify policy on Shared Custody Arrangements We currently ask for a ‘Joint Minute of Agreement’ (JMA) which evidences 50% residential access to a child as evidence to award an additional bedroom. Most applicants have less formal custody arrangements that work well and insisting on a JMA pushes them to incur the cost of a solicitor. The proposal is to retain the 50% residential access requirement but seek confirmation of this in writing from both parents rather than asking for a JMA. This will make it simpler for applicants to evidence their need for an additional bedroom for a child who is not a permanent member of their household. This will avoid asking applicants to incur costs to evidence the requirement and associated complaints. 8. Address the double award of points for the same issue The proposed change will address an anomaly related to a specific set of circumstances. In a small number of cases, applicants can be awarded overcrowding points and medical points where the medical recommendation is simply for a person in the household to have their own bedroom. In this situation, two sets of points are awarded in recognition of the same issue, giving applicants an unfair advantage in terms of their position on the waiting list. This issue arises infrequently but the proposed change will provide greater equity for applicants in similar circumstances.
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In many cases, it is appropriate for an applicant to have both overcrowding and medical points but where the resolution to the medical issue is simply for a person to have their own bedroom, this results in a double award.