The Allocation Policy explains how to apply to join the Council’s Housing Register, who is eligible for nomination for social housing, the priority given, and how offers of social housing will be made.

Why we are reviewing the Allocation Policy

Our current Allocation Policy was last updated in 2018. Since this time, there have been significant increases in applications for homelessness and housing placing pressures on the limited social housing stock available.

In September 2025, Homes Plus changed the way that they allocate social housing - moving from Choice Based Lettings to direct nomination through the local authority.

This means that those in need of social housing should apply directly to the Council who will put forward eligible applicants to suitable properties, based on their individual circumstances and housing need.

There will no longer be an open waiting list and applicants will no longer bid for properties.

Part of the reason for these changes is because there was a high number of applicants with no housing need, who may have lived outside of Stafford Borough, who had registered for social housing with Homes Plus.

Taking the above into account, we have revised our current Allocation Policy, ensuring that housing stock is allocated to the most vulnerable residents with the strongest connection to Stafford Borough.

The key changes are below:

• Choice based lettings to direct nomination
• Local connection
• Applications from existing Housing Association Tenants
• Changes to priority banding
• Update procedure on how we assess unacceptable behaviour
• Updated procedure on how we assess medical need
• Updated procedure on how we assess requests for additional bedrooms

Full details of the changes can be found in the Proposed Changes to the Allocation Policy (pdf 212kb) document.

We have also included our current Allocation Policy (pdf 1mb), along with a draft proposed Allocation Policy (pdf 650kb) for consideration.

Have Your Say

The consultation on the proposed changes will run from Wednesday 10 September 2025 until midnight on Wednesday 5 November 2025.

Responses can be submitted via our online survey or by visiting one of our three in person drop in sessions that will be advertised on this webpage in due course.

We are inviting feedback from anyone with a need, interest or involvement with social housing in Stafford Borough on the proposed changes.

Please complete the Review of Allocation Policy Consultation online.

If you have problems accessing our online survey, or wish to receive the consultation in a different format, please contact the Housing Options Team on 01785 619000, or email housingadvice@staffordbc.gov.uk.

Data Protection

The survey will be carried out in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) which sets out how your information can be used and helps make sure it is kept safe.

To ensure people can express their views freely, the consultation is intended to be anonymous. Please do not include anything that could identify you or other people including names, addresses or specific details.

We cannot act upon specific issues raised in the consultation - it is purely to inform policy development.

If you have any questions relating to this consultation please email housingadvice@staffordbc.gov.uk and a member of the team will contact you.

More information about how we collect personal data and store it can be found here: Data Protection - Privacy Notices