Find out how our banding system works, including information about the four priority bands
About West Norfolk Homechoice
Our West Norfolk Homechoice scheme gives you a choice of where you wish to live. But it makes sure those in the greatest need are given the greatest priority.
Not everyone is accepted onto the scheme. Please visit our who can apply page to see if you're eligible.
How we'll assess your need
When you apply, we'll assess your need for housing. You must provide information to support your application. We'll use this information when making our assessment.
We'll consider your circumstances, such as:
- your income and savings and whether you can afford to buy or rent privately
- if you have a disability or health needs
- if you've been given a notice to leave your current home
- if your current property is lacking facilities or is in a state of disrepair
If you're accepted onto the register, based on your circumstances, you'll be put into one of four priority bands.
Housing bands
| Housing band |
Criteria |
| Emergency priority |
Our panel may award the emergency priority in extreme circumstances, such as:
- witness protection case
- hospital discharge
- a combination of factors from high band
|
| High band |
We'll award a high band if one of these criteria are met:
- homeless through no fault of your own and this council has accepted a full duty as you're in a priority need
- overcrowded - you need at least two or more bedrooms than you currently have
- under-occupation - you're a tenant of a Homechoice partner Housing Association and live in a property that has two or more bedrooms than you need. You must wish to move to a smaller more suitable home
- severe medical reasons - your current accommodation is totally unsuitable and a move is essential to give some quality of life
- a combination of housing need factors - for example, you've been given a medium priority for overcrowding and a medium priority for medical
- extreme hardship
- severe disrepair/insanitary conditions
- supported housing - you've been in a partner supported housing scheme for more than three months and have written confirmation you're ready to 'move on' to independent accommodation
|
| Medium band |
We'll award a medium band if at least one of these criteria are met:
- we have a duty to assist you to relieve your homelessness
- overcrowded - you need at least one more bedroom that you currently have
- under-occupation - you're a tenant of a west Norfolk Housing Association and live in a property that has one or more bedrooms than you need. You must wish to move to a smaller more suitable home
- medium medical priority - there is a clear link between housing and the medical condition. The need for re-housing is significant but not overriding
- you have a child/children under the age of 12 living in a first floor dwelling or above (flat or maisonette)
- you have a child/children under the age of 12 living in a property with no garden or yard
- you share facilities like a bathroom or kitchen with non-relatives (this doesn't apply to joint tenants)
- you live outside of the borough but extreme hardship means you need to move to suitable accommodation within the borough
|
| Low band |
We'll award a low band if at least one of the following circumstances applies:
- you're adequately housed
- you've deliberately worsened your housing circumstances
- you've been found intentionally homeless
- you're serving in the Armed Forces and are living in accommodation provided for Forces personnel
- you're homeless but have the financial ability to secure your own accommodation
|
Placing your bid
You can bid for properties online.
Some properties may be advertised giving preference for households with special circumstances, for example, medical needs or a local connection to a particular parish.
You may only bid for properties if you meet the criteria described.
Once all bids have been received, we allocate the property to the person with the highest band, and the earliest 'relevant date'. The' relevant date' is normally the date you first registered, or the date when your priority band changed.
You can find out how to bid on our bidding on a property page.