Apply for social housing

How to apply for the social housing register, update your details and advice for your application

What documents do you need?

To submit an application form you must submit ID, Proof of living in LBBD for 3 years and any other relevant documentation. 

  1. Proof of Identity

Birth Certificate and/or Passport Details for any adult you wish to include as part of the application
Full Birth certificate for anyone under 18 years of age

  1. Proof of where you live

We need 2 documents confirming residence at the address you are applying from. They must be from different sources and dated.

We also need dated documents confirming residence at the application address and/or other addresses covering a period of 3 years prior to the date of application for you and any person you wish to include as part of the application - to substantiate residence in the Borough for that period.

Examples of acceptable documents would be:

Bank or building society statements
Utility Bills
Landline telephone accounts
Credit card bills
Letters from an official agency e.g. Department of Work and Pensions or similar

We do not accept medical cards, Driving Licences or mobile telephone accounts as evidence of residence.

  1. You will also need to provide the following documents if they apply to your circumstances

Divorce documents or a letter in relation to relationship breakdown
Marriage Certificate
Confirmation of pregnancy (Ante-natal Notes required)
Immigration and Nationality documentation
A copy of your Tenancy Agreement (if you are renting privately)
Child Benefit letter showing details of children for whom the claim applies
  • If someone is joining or has joined your household - we will want to know:

Why

Where they were previously living for 3 years prior to joining you, with dates for each address and what type housing situation applied to this e.g. living with family, living with friends, as a tenant of a private landlord

Any legal documentation that may apply to them joining your household

If you do not provide this information, the person you are trying to add to your application will not be included and could affect your application.

  • If you have been placed into accommodation in the Borough by another Council

we will want documentary evidence regarding the basis for the placement.

If you do not provide accommodation documentation, we will process your application without this information and this may result in your application being rejected.

  • If you or your spouse/partner are working for more than 16 hours per week

we will need you to provide us with a copy of your contract of employment and 3 most recent payslips.

If you do not provide employment documentation, we will process your application without this information and you could miss out on a working preference

  • If you are self-employed

we will want evidence of registration with HMRC and audited accounts/other information to substantiate the nature and extent of your employment.

EEA Nationals will need to evidence that they are in employment and have been in employment for a minimum of 12 months at the point of application.

If you do not provide employment documentation, we will process your application without this information and you could miss out on a working preference

  • If you do not have a fixed address

we may be able to register an application on a 'No fixed abode' basis. You will need to provide details of all addresses that you have stayed at and get letters from your host at each address to confirm details of any arrangements with them to stay in their home. Their letter must have their name and address, a contact telephone number and/or contact e-mail address. We will want to know what each property is, who else is staying at the address and what accommodation is available to you when you stay.

If you do not provide relevant documentation, we will process your application without this information and this may result in your application being rejected.

Uploading your documents

Documents you want to submit in support of your application can be uploaded to us using the document upload below, against the following categories:

  1. Proof of identity and personal information
  2. Income and employment
  3. Property
  4. Health information

If you can't upload all your documents now

If you don't have everything available now, you can upload your documents later, but not until you've submitted this form and you have received your housing register account number.

Help uploading documents

If you are unable to do this yourself, we can help you in one of the Community Hubs within the borough: https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/community-hubs, after you've submitted this form. You'll need to take your original documents and your housing register account number.

Your housing register account number

This is a 9-digit number starting with 00. You can find this in the email we'll send you after you've submitted this form. If you received a letter following your registration, the number will be in the top right corner under our address.

  • If your application is accepted, you must tell us about any change to your circumstances.
  • To understand more about how the process works in the event that you are disqualified from applying for Council Housing or you do not fully complete and submit an on-line application for this, please refer to the following housing allocations policy.

Before you apply please:

Check that you are eligible to apply to join the housing register in B&D

Understand that it is very unlikely that you will be allocated social housing, even if you are eligible

Read all the relevant information about the application form

 

Apply for social housing