How to apply for council housing — and get on the register.

Social housing is housing let at below-market “social” rents by councils and by housing associations (registered providers / registered social landlords). In most areas they share a single housing register run by the council, so one application can put you in line for both. You don't pay to join the register, and joining doesn't guarantee you a home — demand is high almost everywhere — but it's the route to a more affordable, more secure tenancy than private renting usually offers.

How the housing register works

You apply to your local council to join the register. Each council writes its own allocation scheme under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996, so the exact rules — including who qualifies and how priority is set — vary from area to area. But the shape is the same everywhere:

Choice-based lettings — how “bidding” works

Most councils now run choice-based lettings. Available homes are advertised — on the council's website, in council offices and libraries, sometimes in local papers — and you tell the council which ones you're interested in. This is called “bidding”, but it does not involve any money: it just means expressing interest. The basic steps:

1. Find a property — check the council's advertised homes;
2. Check you can apply for it — some homes are only suitable for single people, families, older people or disabled applicants;
3. Bid — online, by phone or by text (no money);
4. Get the council's decision — the home is normally offered to the eligible applicant with the highest priority, and ties usually go to whoever has waited longest.

Normally you only have a short time to accept an offer. If you turn it down you can usually stay on the list, but you may be moved lower — and if you keep rejecting offers you can be taken off the list for a time.

Who can join the register

Two things decide whether you can join: eligibility (a national rule about your immigration and residence status) and qualification (rules each council sets for itself). You may be able to apply even if you don't currently live in the area, but most councils give priority to people with a local connection.

Because councils set their own qualifying rules, some can decide not to accept applicants who, for example:

• have enough income or savings to rent or buy privately;
• have rent arrears or a history of antisocial behaviour;
• don't have a local connection to the area (live, work or close family there).

If you're refused a place on the register, ask the council why in writing — you can usually ask for a review, and a free adviser can help (see Do this now).

Who gets priority — “reasonable preference”

By law, a council's allocation scheme must give “reasonable preference” (extra priority) to people in certain situations — set out in section 166A of the Housing Act 1996. Most councils build their banding or points around these groups:

Councils usually turn this into a banding system — for example Band A for the most urgent need down to Band D for the lowest — or a points system, where more points means higher priority. Councils can also give extra (“additional”) preference to people in those groups who have an especially urgent need.

How to apply and bid

You apply to the council for the area you want to live in (or have a connection to). Here's the calm order:

1. Apply to the council's housing register. Search your council's name plus “housing register” or “apply for council housing” for its online form — or apply by phone or in person. You can find your local council with our finder.
2. Give full evidence of your circumstances — overcrowding, medical or welfare needs, any disability, your local connection — so your band or points are set correctly.
3. Bid regularly if your council uses choice-based lettings. Bidding is free; bidding on suitable homes keeps your application active and gives you the most chances.
4. Keep your details up to date. Tell the council about any change — a new baby, a worsening health condition, a change of address — as it can change your priority.
5. Ask for a review if you're refused a place, given a band you think is wrong, or turned down for a home you bid on. A free adviser can help you put it in writing.

Do this now

For the official rules, see GOV.UK — apply for council housing and GOV.UK — council housing, plus Shelter's council & housing association housing advice.

An honest word about waiting times

There is no single national waiting time, and it would be wrong to promise one. How long you wait depends on:

• your area — demand is far higher in some places than others;
• the type and size of home you need (one-beds and family-sized homes can be in very short supply);
• your priority band or points — the greater your housing need, the sooner you're likely to be offered something.

In high-demand areas, waits for some homes can run into years; in lower-demand areas they can be much shorter. So treat the register as one part of your plan, not the whole of it: keep bidding, keep your evidence up to date, ask for a review if your band looks wrong, and pursue the other routes above in parallel. Your council can usually tell you roughly how long someone in your situation is likely to wait — ask.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Housing is devolved, so social housing is allocated differently across the UK — but everywhere the first step is to apply to the council (or the Housing Executive in NI) to get on a register.

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