Housing allocations policy
Appendix 2. Bedroom Standards and Type of Accommodation
When deciding the size of property for which applicants will be eligible, the following Bedroom Standard will be used.
For the purposes of this policy a bedsit or studio is considered suitable for either a single person or a couple.
| Household size | 1 Bedroom | 2 Bedrooms | 3 Bedrooms | 4 Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Person | Yes | |||
| Couple wishing to live together | Yes | |||
| In exceptional cases e.g. where there are care needs adult siblings wishing to live together | Yes | |||
| Parent(s) with one child | Yes | |||
| Parent(s) with two children of the same sex both aged under 18 years | Yes | |||
| Parent(s) with two children of opposite sex both aged under 10 years | Yes | |||
| Parent(s) with two children of the same sex and the oldest is aged 18 years and can reasonably be expected to reside with the applicant. | Yes | |||
| Parent(s) with two children of opposite sex where the older child is aged 10 years or over | Yes | |||
| Parents with three children where two children can share (because they are (i)same sex both under 18 or (ii) different sex both under 10) | Yes | |||
| Parents with four children where it is possible for two pairs of children to each share a bedroom (because they are (i) same sex both under 18 or (ii) different sex both under 10) | Yes | |||
|
Parents with three children where none of which can share (same sex over 18 and can reasonably be expected to reside with the applicant, or different sex over 10) |
Yes | |||
|
Parents with four children where only two can share (same sex both under 18, or different sex both under 10) |
Yes | |||
|
Parents with five or more children with any children over the age of 18 who can reasonably be expected to reside with the applicant. For applicants who have more than a four-bed need, their bedroom requirements will be discussed with them on a case-by-case basis. |
Yes |
In all cases, where children meet the criteria to share a bedroom, the applicant will only be considered for a property which meets the families need, based on the above bedroom standard.
When deciding whether an applicant and their household is under- occupying accommodation, or lacks one or more bedrooms, the lower number of bedrooms shown against each size of household will be used as the “standard” number of bedrooms required. For example, a family with two children who is living in a relative’s home and has the use of one bedroom will be deemed to lack one bedroom.
Where a bedroom can accommodate beds/bunk beds this is deemed adequate. There may be exceptions to this i.e. Sloping ceiling under stair or eaves, where it may be relevant to reconsider with discussion with a Senior Officer.
A bedroom being used for storage will still be considered to be available as a bedroom. Where a property has two reception rooms it may be considered that one of the reception rooms can be used as a bedroom.
Type of accommodation
Age restricted housing will normally be over 55. Some registered providers have other schemes for lower age ranges, which will be advertised with the full details of their restrictions.
Accommodation that is designated as supported housing will be available only for applicants who are eligible for that particular accommodation. For example, some supported housing is provided exclusively for people with learning difficulties or for young people leaving care.
Where accommodation is available only for applicants who satisfy such special criteria, this will be made clear in the advertisement of the property.