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Leeds Council considers removing 18,000 people from social housing waiting list
Leeds City Council has proposed removing 18,000 applicants from its social housing waiting list.
The cost-saving cut is one option being floated in a consultation on changes to the local authority’s lettings system.
If the most severe proposed cut to the waiting list is chosen, Leeds Council would remove all applicants from its waiting list who are in Band C and Band D. It categorises these people as already “adequately housed”.
The council estimated this would affect around 18,000 people.
There are currently more than 27,000 households on Leeds’ homes register. More than 5,000 are in Band A, the highest priority band. Most Band A applicants wait over two years to be offered a home by the council.
Most applicants are in Band C and have “little or no chance of being offered a home”, according to the council.
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Other options in the consultation, which closes on 28 March, include removing only current social housing tenants who are adequately housed from the waiting list. This would affect 5,000 applicants, the council estimated.
It could also remove applicants who have assets worth over £60,000 or own a residential property, as well as applicants who do not have a local connection to Leeds or those who have not lived in Leeds as their main residence for two years.
The outcomes of the consultation will be used to finalise proposed changes in summer 2024.
A spokesperson for Leeds Council said: “In the last decade, as has been seen across the country, the demand for council housing in Leeds has increased.
“The more recent national cost of living crisis also means we are seeing more people who need our support to secure appropriate accommodation.
“As such, we are considering making changes to our lettings policy so that we are able to manage expectations and focus our resources most effectively on helping those in the greatest need.
“One of several options under consideration is the removal of applicants from our lower priority bands, band C and D, as well as those who are assessed as being adequately housed. These applicants have little or no realistic prospect of being offered a home due to the pressures on our housing stock.
“This step would free up resources and help our teams focus on rehousing people in higher need, including those living in overcrowded conditions or who are homeless.
“It should be stressed that, with the consultation still ongoing, no decision has been taken on what changes will be made to the lettings policy. All views gathered during the current process will be used to draw up a firm set of proposals later this year.”
Earlier this month, Inside Housing revealed that Birmingham City Council was considering closing its social housing waiting list to new applicants.
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