Housing priority bands

You may be eligible if you meet one of the following:

Urgent medical or welfare needs

• you have an urgent medical need that has been assessed and agreed by the local authority
• you have been accepted by the local authority for a high‑priority referral under the Kent Agency Assessment (KAA) procedure.

Find out more about urgent medical/welfare needs priority and KAA

Management transfers and reciprocal arrangements

You may qualify if your social landlord requires you to move, or if you need to move because of:

• violence, domestic abuse, harassment, intimidation or threats of violence likely to be carried out
• major works to your current home
• living in a significantly adapted property that you no longer require (as agreed by us)
• another urgent management reason.

You may be eligible for this band if you do not meet any Band A criteria, but you meet one of the following:

Overcrowding or unsatisfactory housing conditions

• your household has major overcrowding, meaning you are lacking two or more bedrooms (see Appendix 6 of the Housing Allocations Policy)
• your home has a Category One hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System that cannot be resolved within a reasonable time, as confirmed by the private sector housing team.

Under‑occupation

• you are a social housing tenant and are under‑occupying your home by two or more bedrooms.

Leaving supported housing

• you currently live in supported housing and no longer require that support, based on a recommendation from your support worker.

You may be eligible if you do not meet the criteria for Band A or Band B, but meet one of the following:

Homeless or at risk of homelessness

• where we have accepted a rehousing duty, determined that there is no priority need or where a household is likely to become homeless soon.

Living in unsanitary, overcrowded or otherwise unsuitable housing, including:

• insecure accommodation, such as a licence agreement or non‑secure tenancy
• homes lacking basic facilities such as a bathroom, kitchen, inside toilet, hot or cold water, electricity, gas or adequate heating
• minor overcrowding (lacking one bedroom, as set out in Appendix 6 of the Housing Allocations Policy)
• having to share key living facilities, such as kitchen, bathroom, toilet
• living in a property in disrepair with a Category 1 hazard that can be resolved within a reasonable time
• social housing tenants under‑occupying by one bedroom.

Needing to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability

• where a significant medical need has been agreed with the council. A list of criteria for priority to be given on medical and welfare grounds can be found in Appendix 5 of the Housing Allocations Policy
• where a priority referral has been accepted by the council under the Kent Agency Assessment procedure.

Needing to move to avoid hardship

• needing to move to a particular locality in the district, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship to themselves or to others. For example, to give or receive care, or to take up employment.

You may be eligible if you do not meet the criteria for Band A, B or C, but meet one of the following:

Adequately housed

• where you have a local connection and no means to purchase a property but your current accommodation meets your needs.

Intentionally homeless or uncooperative

• you are intentionally homeless or have failed to cooperate, or have deliberately worsened your housing circumstances.

Homeless by another local authority

• where a duty is owed by another local authority or are occupying accommodation secured by another local authority.

No local connection but with a housing need

• where band A, B or C applies but you have no local connection with the district.

Housing need but can get private rental

• where band A, B or C applies but you have the means to sustain either a mortgage or private rental.

• you do not meet the Band A, B, C or D housing need criteria
• you have no local connection with the district, and/or,
• you have the means to sustain either a mortgage or private rental.