applying for council housing

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Applying for housing - the Brighton & Hove Joint Housing Register

Brighton & Hove City Council and the housing associations working in the city have formed a partnership to develop a combined housing list - meaning that if you are looking for social housing in Brighton & Hove, you only have to make one application.

We operate Homemove, a choice based lettings scheme to let our properties - please see our Homemove page or visit www.homemove.org.uk for further details.

To be eligible for the Brighton & Hove Joint Housing Register, you must be in housing need and over 18. You can apply from anywhere in the country to be on the register, but people with a local connection to the city are given priority. Please note that rough sleepers in the city who cannot prove their local connection are not being offered housing, but are being offered help to move elsewhere.

There is a shortage of housing in Brighton & Hove and the demand far exceeds the supply - unfortunately, it is not possible for us to rehouse everyone who applies. There are thousands of households on our waiting list, meaning that there are likely to be a lot of people bidding for each available property and those in the most urgent housing need get the highest priority. Because of this, our housing options team give advice on what else you can do to find housing that suits you - see our housing options page for further information.

If you are subject to immigration control, you will need to provide us with a copy of your status papers. We will only be able to accept your application if:

• you have refugee status, or
• you have been granted exceptional leave to remain and are not subject to a ‘no recourse to public funds condition’, or
• you have been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain, not subject to any limitation or condition (settled status), unless you have obtained leave on the basis of a sponsorship undertaking and have been resident in the UK for less than five years (unless your sponsor has died), or
• you provide your worker registration card or proof of employment if you are a citizen from an A8 country

Follow this link for further information for refugees and asylum seekers.

How do I apply?

To apply for the Brighton & Hove Joint Housing Register, you need to fill in an application form:

• download the housing application form
• call the Homemove Team on (01273) 294400
• e-mail the Homemove Team at homemove@brighton-hove.gov.uk
• visit the citydirect Centre in Bartholomew Square, Brighton, or any of the council's housing offices 

Return the application form to the Homemove Officers, Homemove Team, 4th Floor, Bartholomew House, Bartholomew House, Brighton, BN1 1JP, but if you've downloaded it, please ensure that you print out the entire form and fix it together.

You will need give us all the information we ask for or we'll have to return your application to you. You must also provide copies of documentary proof of any other information that has been requested.

If your current accommodation is affecting your health or the health of a member of your household (consisting of family members due to move with in with you), you may also need to complete our self assessment medical form as part of your housing application. 

If any member of your household has mobility issues, you may also need to complete a self assessment mobility form.

If you feel you will benefit from living in older people’s housing (sheltered housing), please complete our self assessment support needs form.

Once we receive your completed form, it will be assessed and you will be given a priority band according to your housing need. If you disagree with the priority band you’ve been given, you can ask the council to review the decision - please contact the Homemove Team as detailed above or fill in our housing application request a review on-line form.