Housing Allocations Policy Review 2024

At Falkirk Council, we recognise the critical role that suitable housing plays in ensuring the well-being and stability of individuals and families within our community. Housing serves as more than just shelter; it provides the foundation upon which lives are built, fostering security, health, and opportunity. As part of our commitment to developing housing services, we are conducting a review of our allocations policy.

This review considers how Council homes are best allocated, ensuring fairness, efficiency, and responsiveness to the diverse needs of our residents. Your feedback is essential in helping us shape policies that better meet the housing needs of Falkirk.

Please take 20 minutes to participate in this survey and share your thoughts. Together, we can work towards creating a more equitable and supportive housing system that benefits every individual and family in our community. Our current policy enables access to suitable housing for those in need and complies with legal requirements. We are considering several changes which we believe could improve the effectiveness of our policy, including:

• Automatic Bidding for Homeless Applicants: implementing an automatic bidding system after a 30-day period for homeless applicants who have not been allocated housing .
• Direct Matching for Complex Health Needs: Implementing a direct matching process for applicants with complex health needs, to accelerate their placement into suitable housing.
• Main Carer: Proposed adjustment aims to ensure that properties are allocated in a manner that best meets the needs of people who are primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of children .
• Restricting Allocation to Domestic Abuse Perpetrators: Enhancing the safety and wellbeing of those affected by domestic abuse by restricting housing allocations to convicted perpetrators.
• New Build Properties for Home Movers: Limiting the allocation of new build homes to current Falkirk Council tenants only who are moving within the council's housing stock, to better use available resources and increase overall housing availability. This will not apply to those who require an adapted property.
• Conditions for Tenancy Offers: Introducing comprehensive tenancy checks before finalising allocation offers to reduce void repair work and ensure properties are in good condition for new tenants.
• Tenants Incentive Scheme Enhancements: Ensuring the Tenants Incentive Scheme is effective in encouraging tenants in larger homes to downsize, freeing up valuable housing resources.

We value your feedback on these proposed changes and other aspects of our allocations policy. Your responses will help us make informed decisions that best serve our community.

The current Housing Allocations Policy is attached for reference.

If you have any questions or issues completing the survey please email Allocations.Team@falkirk.gov.uk.

Thank you for your participation.