Item 8 - WD Housing Allocation Policy Review
West Dunbartonshire Council · 12 August 2026
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 12 August 2026 and its agenda
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Official WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Strategic Lead Housing and Employability Housing and Communities Committee: - 12 August 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: West Dunbartonshire Housing Allocation Policy Review 1. Purpose 1.1 This report seeks approval for proposed changes to the West Dunbartonshire Council Housing Allocation Policy following a comprehensive consultative review. It sets out the rationale and anticipated benefits of the proposed changes, summarises consultation feedback, and identifies the arrangements required to support implementation and future monitoring. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Housing and Communities Committee: (i) approves the proposed changes to the West Dunbartonshire Council Housing Allocation Policy, as set out in sections 4.2 to 4.7; (ii) notes the summary of consultation feedback in sections 9.1 to 9.3, with full details provided in Appendix 1; (iii) invites the Chief Officer, Housing to ensure successful implementation of the revised Housing Allocation Policy and to report progress to the Housing and Communities Committee through established monitoring arrangements; and (iv) agrees the introduction of a 12-month underoccupancy pilot, as detailed in section 4.8 and Appendix 2, to help alleviate housing pressures in the context of the Council’s housing emergency declaration. 3. Background 3.1 Carrying out regular reviews of our policies is good practice, and we aim to review our allocations policy every three years. This review was slightly delayed with progress of the shared online housing application and awaiting details of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025. 3.2 The review also provided the opportunity to ensure the current Allocations process adequately meets housing need and takes account the pressures and new demands of the housing emergency and the changes required as per the new Housing Scotland Act 2025. ITEM 8
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Official 3.3 A steering group and working group were established to take forward the review. The groups, together with ongoing quarterly monitoring of the policy, identified the areas for review. The review included consultation with relevant stakeholders, with further detail set out in the Consultation Recording Sheet at Appendix 1. 4. Main Issues 4.1 There are six areas of proposed changes. • Suspensions and number of reasonable offers, • Suspensions to Medical A applicants with rent arrears, • Increased priority for tenants underoccupying to encourage downsizing, • Considerations and changes to tenancies for homeowners, • Bedroom eligibility for children of the same sex, and • Bedroom eligibility for applicants with access only arrangements with their children. More detailed information on these proposed changes is outlined below. 4.2 Reducing Number of Reasonable Offers from 3 to 2 and setting a timeframe. Proposal: The current limit of offers housing applicants can receive before their application is suspended for refusal is three, the proposal is to reduce this down to two. There is also no time limit to receiving the offers therefore proposing a 12-month timeframe is added. Benefits: This would align us with the majority of social housing providers in Scotland including local Registered Social Landlord (RSL) partners, making it more consistent for applicants and would reduce time spent by officers working on abortive offers and therefore benefit void times/rent loss. Consultation and feedback: Consultation feedback did not show majority support for reducing the number of reasonable offers, with 32% agreeing or strongly agreeing, 45% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing, and 23% unsure. In response, officers propose to retain the three reasonable offers position but introduce a 12-month timeframe, providing greater clarity for applicants while supporting more effective management of offers. 4.3 Suspending Offers to applicants with Medical A points with rent arrears. Proposal: All applicants who have rent arrears and are not maintaining a repayment arrangement are suspended from receiving offers of housing except for applicants who have a Medical A award. The proposal is to remove this
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Official exemption from the policy. This would mean that applicants regardless of the priority will be suspended if they have rent arrears unless they are complying with legislative requirements (value of arrears is less than a month’s rent and/or has a repayment arrangement in place, maintained for at least three months). Benefits: This creates a fairer process for tenants who maintain their rent account or maintain a repayment arrangement for arrears, especially for other Medical A applicants who have no arrears. If the tenant has arrears because of their medical condition this would be taken into consideration. Consultation and feedback: The feedback showed there was agreement for this proposal with 48% agree/strongly agree, 25% disagree / strongly disagree, 27% unsure. 4.4 Increase priority for tenants who underoccupy to enable more tenants to downsize. Proposal: Demand for larger family homes (4 bedrooms+) is a significant housing pressure and is highlighted within the Council’s housing emergency action plan. Numbers of tenants downsizing aren’t high, and this creates bottlenecks in waiting lists for those needing larger homes. One reason for this is we are not always able to reach as many of our transfer applicants as we would wish freeing up those much-needed family homes. The number of points awarded for every spare bedroom an applicant has is the same for all waiting lists. To change this the proposal is to increase the priority points to our own transfer tenants under occupying, to 33 points per bedroom from 20. Benefits: The increase of points will allow for more tenants to be rehoused who are underoccupying, which in turn will free up larger family homes to then rehouse other larger families. Consultation and feedback: The feedback from the consultation supported this proposed change with 67% of respondents agreed that we should prioritise our own transfer applicants, 8 % said we should not and 25% were not sure. 4.5 Allocating Properties to Homeowners on a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy (SSST) Proposal: The 2014 Housing Act allows social landlords to take ownership of housing into account except where the owner cannot access their home or where occupying it could lead to abuse or endanger their health. In our current policy we do not take ownership of housing into account, the proposal is looking to change that. If a homeowner cannot access their owned home safely will be allocated social housing temporarily on a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy only, to allow them
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Official time to resolve access issues at their owned home. If these issues cannot be resolved, only then would we consider offering a permanent tenancy and it would be preferred if the owner then agreed to sell their owned home to allow this property to become a home for someone else rather than remaining empty and we will provide advice in that respect. Benefits: This again would align us with what the majority of our RSL partners in West Dunbartonshire and would maximise our own housing stock to ensure it is being used for those with the most need. From analysis, the majority of the owner occupiers applying for housing with the Council have no immediate housing need. Consultation and feedback: Consultation feedback showed strong support for offering an SSST in these circumstances, with 56% agreeing or strongly agreeing, 13% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing, and 31% unsure. There was also support for encouraging owners to resolve their ownership position, with 73% agreeing that owners should be expected to sell their owned home where a permanent social tenancy is required, 10% disagreeing, and 17% unsure. 4.6 Changing the age limit for children of the same sex sharing a bedroom from 10 to 16. Proposal: The Allocation Policy uses household composition to determine bedroom eligibility, it currently states that children over the age of 10 will be eligible for a bedroom of their own, regardless of sex. The proposal is to increase the ages from 10 to 16 for children of the same sex. Where a child requires their own bedroom due to medical need, this will continue to be considered on a case- by-case basis, informed by an occupational therapist’s assessment. Benefits: This would bring our policy in align with other social landlords in the area but also with the Department for Work and Pensions assessments of bedroom eligibility which is also linked to housing cost payments. Increasing the ages will also ensure best use of our 4 plus bed sized properties. Consultation and feedback: The online survey showed low support for this proposal, with 22% agreeing or strongly agreeing, 66% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing, and 12% unsure. However, 73% of respondents indicated that the change would not affect their current or future housing needs. Taking account of this, wider stakeholder consultation, and feedback from the members’ session, officers recommend proceeding with the proposal. The change is intended to maximise use of available larger homes during a period when demand continues to outstrip supply and the Council is responding to a declared housing emergency.
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Official 4.7 Allowing only one additional bedroom for applicants with access agreements for children. Proposal: The proposal is to make changes to property size eligibility where a parent has access only to their child/children to one additional bedroom. If the child lives with one parent all or most of the time that parent can claim the benefit and it is therefore the primary parent that we would assess the child as living with for room size eligibility not the parent with access. Benefits: This change would make best use of limited housing stock and avoid people living in homes that are predominantly underoccupied when we have high numbers of families that are awaiting on offers of larger family homes. This again would also align with other housing providers including local RSL partners. Consultation and feedback: Consultation feedback showed majority support for this proposal, with 58% agreeing or strongly agreeing, 17% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing, and 25% unsure. Officers therefore recommend proceeding with the proposal to allow one additional bedroom for applicants with access-only arrangements for their children. Underoccupancy – 12 Month Pilot – Two Bedrooms 4.8 Demand for one-bedroom properties significantly exceeds the available supply and has been identified as a key pressure within the housing allocation system, contributing to the current housing emergency. By comparison, the availability of two-bedroom properties is more favourable. To mitigate this pressure, it is proposed that a 12-month pilot be introduced permitting the allocation of certain two-bedroom properties to households with a one-bedroom requirement. Appendix 2 provides detailed analysis of demand, availability and supply across both property size types. This proposal seeks to maximise housing opportunities for applicants with the highest assessed need, reduce waiting times and allocation pressures, and support more sustainable tenancies by allowing households some capacity to accommodate future changes in household composition. 5. People Implications 5.1 Meeting the requirements to adopt the proposed Housing Allocations Policy will be taken forward and managed from within existing staff resources. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no direct financial implications within this report.
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Official 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The reviewed and updated Housing Allocation Policy provides an opportunity to improve the existing system, better reflect current housing demand, and make effective use of available policy flexibilities. Key risks include potential challenge where proposals proceed despite mixed consultation feedback, operational pressures during implementation, and the need to ensure applicants understand the revised rules. These risks will be mitigated through clear communication, staff guidance, monitoring of outcomes, and reporting through established governance arrangements. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 The policy has been subject to a full Equality Impact Assessment. No areas of concern were identified. Officers will continue to monitor implementation to ensure the revised policy operates fairly and remains focused on assessed housing need. 9. Consultation 9.1 The review of the allocations policy was undertaken in consultation with tenants, applicants, tenants and residents’ group, members of staff including members and other key internal and external partners. The process included the following: • January 2025 onwards – steering group and working group project review developed; • 5th Nov 2025, to 14th Jan 2026 – online survey; • 7th January 2026 – Members session • May 2026 – Access to Housing Board approval • 12th August 2026 - Housing and Communities Committee approval 9.2 The policy changes are not assessed as having a negative impact on any equality group. The points-based system is designed to be person-centred and to prioritise applicants according to assessed housing need, ensuring those with the most urgent need receive the highest priority. A detailed Consultation Recording Sheet is provided at Appendix 1, and the Equality Impact Assessment is available on request. 9.3 An elected member session was held on 7 January 2026, providing members with an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes and wider review before this report was presented to the Housing and Communities Committee. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 This Allocations Policy sets out how the Council intends to allocate its homes. It lays out a hierarchy of need, in order to best allocate a limited supply of housing. The allocation of properties has a crucial part to play in promoting sustainable communities, in which people will want to live and work. These
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Official proposed changes will aim to best allocate this limited supply of housing as effectively as possible. Peter Barry Strategic Lead Housing and Employability Date: 29th July 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Person to Contact: John Kerr – Housing Development and Homelessness Manager, Housing and Employability, Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL, email: john.kerr@west- dunbarton.gov.uk Kathryn Irvine – Senior Housing Development Officer, Housing Development, Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL, email: kathryn.irvine@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Claire McKay – Housing Development Co-ordinator, Housing Development, Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL, email: claire.mckay@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 – Consultation Summary Appendix 2 – Underoccupancy Pilot Background Papers: Allocation Policy Review, February 2022 Housing and Communities Housing Emergency, August 2026 Housing and Communities Committee Allocation Policy Review Equalities Impact Assessment, June 2026 Wards Affected: All