42 Bedford Row

This Practice Note deals with eligibility for allocation of housing accommodation by local housing authorities in England and Wales). It identifies circumstances an applicant will not be eligible for an allocation of social housing which in England relate exclusively to immigration status. In Wales, there is an additional category of unacceptable behaviour that may exclude an applicant from eligibility for an allocation of social housing.

This Practice Note covers the qualification for allocation of housing by a local housing authority (LHA) in England which was introduced by the Localism Act 2011 into the Housing Act 1996. It does not apply in Wales. It covers the general provisions applicable to allocation, the extra considerations in relation to the armed forces, the right to move and the interrelationship between the various considerations.

This Practice Note focuses on the eligibility of applicants for housing assistance under the homelessness provisions of Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 (HA 1996) in England, and Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (H(W)A 2014) in Wales. It covers decision making on eligibility, when the question should be determined. It also discusses who is eligible for housing assistance and who is not and the matters to be taken into consideration when determining the issue.