New Housing System Launches In Caerphilly

Caerphilly’s Common Housing Register and Common Allocation Policy have been launched today (Monday 5 December). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly County Borough Council along with partner housing associations, Aelwyd, Cadwyn, Charter, Derwyn, Linc-Cymru, United Welsh and Wales & West have all been working together on the introduction of the Register and Policy, which brings about a major change in the way applicants apply and are assessed for social housing, and how social landlords will now let their accommodation in Caerphilly borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This new process of applying for social housing will be much simpler and quicker for applicants and gives them much more choice over where they want to live. With the introduction of a single list, which will be managed by the Council on behalf of all partners, applicants now have to complete only a single application form to apply for housing with one or more of social landlords in the borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The allocations policies of each social landlord have now been replaced with the new policy. Existing social housing applicants still requiring rehousing, who responded to the re-registration exercise carried out during the summer, have been reassessed and transferred onto the single list. All new applicants will now be assessed under the new policy. All applicants on the single list are placed in one of three priority bands that closely matches their housing need. Applicants in the highest band will normally be offered accommodation first. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Applicants will be required to complete and maintain their housing application via a newly developed website called Home Search Caerphilly. Also available on the website will be a host of information including how to register for housing, how applications are assessed, which areas housing is located and profiles of each area. In addition, people accessing the site will be able to complete an on-line assessment which will provide them with a bespoke housing action plan, providing them with information on a range of housing solutions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Poole, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I am delighted with the introduction of the common housing register and common allocation policy. This new system will give applicants more choice about where they want to live and make applying for social housing easier and quicker. The Home Search Caerphilly website will provide applicants with a range of information to allow them to make informed choices about where they want to live.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​