How we allocate housing

The banding system

West Northamptonshire Council operates a needs based banding system. This means that the band you are provided is based on your housing need. The highest band shows the greatest need for housing. 

There are many different examples of the types of categories for each band.

Emergency Band

This band includes:

  • Applicants to whom West Northamptonshire Council have accepted a main homelessness duty under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (except for those found intentionally homeless)
  • Applicants who have succeeded to a property that isn't suitable for them or live in,  or a property designated as sheltered or adapted for which they do not qualify/or there is no right of succession
  • Tenants who have to vacate their homes within six weeks due to a Compulsory Purchase Order or because their council properties need major works. This will be managed in accordance with the council's decant procedure
  • Tenants of West Northamptonshire Council and our Housing Association partners who are under occupying their properties
  • Applicants who are statutorily overcrowded (as defined by Part 10 of the Housing Act 1985)
  • Hospital discharge applicants who have somewhere to live but it is unsuitable for their medical needs and cannot be easily adapted, or applicants who have nowhere to live upon discharge from hospital
  • Applicants who are being discharged from the Armed Forces who have sustained serious injury, medical condition or disability during service
  • Emergency landlord transfer requests as defined by subsection 5.10. of Northampton’s Allocation Scheme
  • Applicants are placed in the emergency group for a period of 6 bidding periods or cycles (6 weeks)

During this time they will be expected to bid for suitable properties in the area of their choice. 

If the applicant has not been successful in their bidding, within this period the applicant may receive a direct offer of a suitable property within the Borough.

If the offer of accommodation is deemed to be suitable and reasonably meets the needs of the applicants, the right to refuse this offer will be subject to a statutory review. If the statutory review identifies that the property was not suitable for the customer, the customer will receive a further direct offer of suitable alternative accommodation and this offer will be made to the customer within 7 days of the outcome of the statutory review. 

Customers who are under-occupying will have an unlimited time period to find alternative accommodation.

Band A - Urgent Need

This band includes:

  • Applicants who have a severe medical, welfare award or disability where their current accommodation is unsuitable or it is unreasonable to remain in
  • Applicants who have priority on welfare grounds and require to move urgently because of a risk to their wellbeing or health. (This includes people who need to move to a different locality to give or receive care, access specialised medical treatment or take up employment, education or training)
  • Applicants who permanently lack one or all of these essential facilities - hot water, heating, a kitchen, internal toilet and bathroom
  • Private sector tenants who are required to vacate their home as a result of enforcement action by the council
  • Applicants who have been issued with a valid notice that the landlord requires possession and have been accepted by the Council as being owed the prevention or relief duty under section 189B of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended) and assessed as being in priority need
  • Private sector tenants who are required to vacate their home as a result of enforcement action by the Local Authority
  • Applicants who are occupying partnership agency accommodation and who have an agreed move on
  • Applicants who no longer require the adaptations in their current home
  • Applicants who are part of a multi-agency public protection agreement (MAPPA)
  • Where there is a serious threat to the well-being of a child and their accommodation is a contributory factor to the risk and an emergency move is required to mitigate the risk, as confirmed by Northamptonshire County Council’s Director of Adult and Children’s services
  • Customers who have an agreed fostering or adoption agreement in place with Northamptonshire County Council, who need to move to a larger home in order to accommodate a looked after child
  • Customers who could not be expected to find their own accommodation, such as young adults with learning disabilities who wish to leave the family home so that they can live independently within the community
  • Applicants who have ceased, or will cease to be entitled, to live in Ministry of Defence accommodation following the death of their service spouse or civil partner, where the death was wholly or partly attributable to their service

Band B - Moderate Need

This includes:

  • Applicants who are owed a duty under the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 and West Northamptonshire Council service tenants who are due to retire or have their contract of employment terminated
  • Applicants who are sharing facilities (bathroom, kitchen etc), with a separate family household
  • Applicants who require a move for moderate medical or welfare grounds where there is an acknowledgement that alternative accommodation would be beneficial but is not essential
  • Applicants who are not in priority need and have received a Notice to Quit (including private rented tenants, tied tenants, lodgers or people residing with family). This also includes applicants accepted by the Council as being owed the prevention or relief duty under section 189B of the Housing Act (as amended) and assessed as having no priority need
  • Applicants living in properties assessed by the Private Sector Housing Team as being a Category 2 hazard under the HHSRS legislation

Reduced priority band

Some applicants that qualify to join the Housing Register may be awarded reduced priority due to one or more of the following reasons:

  • They, or any joint applicant or family members, have rent arrears or other related housing debt
  • Non-compliance or breach of tenancy agreement
  • Unacceptable behaviour including committing or allowing to be committed acts of anti-social behaviour and damage to Council property, which has not resulted in disqualification from the Housing Register
  • Applicants assessed as intentionally homeless or deliberately worsening circumstances, which has not resulted in disqualification from the Housing Register
  • Current council tenants whose property does not meet the repair void standard, including its state of cleanliness or decoration
  • Refusal of 3 reasonable offers of accommodation within a 12 month period
  • Income, capital, or savings over the threshold