How houses are allocated
High demand for social housing
There's incredibly high demand for housing in Derby and there are not enough properties for everyone on the housing register. There are always more people wanting to be housed than homes will ever be available.
It can be difficult for us to say when you will be offered a home, most people may never receive an offer.
We understand how important it is to be near friends, family, and support services. Limiting the areas, you want to live, or landlords you want housing with, will affect our ability to help you even if you have a high priority for housing.
How properties are allocated
Section 168 of the 1996 Act requires authorities to publish a summary of their allocation scheme and to provide a copy of the summary (free of charge) to any member of the public who requests one. The Find a home section of our website summarises the Council's Allocation policy in a more accessible HTML format. You can also download the full policy and a summary version below. These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. If you need a version of these documents in a more accessible format, please contact us.
Derby City Council - Allocations Policy 2020 to 2025 (Word)
Derby City Council Allocations Policy Summary (Word)
When you make an application for rehousing on Derby Homefinder, your needs will be assessed from the information you provide. If you are eligible and qualify, you will be placed in one of the three 'housing bands':
- Corporate Needs Band
- Priority Needs Band
- General needs band
If you have no housing needs, or do not qualify, you will be placed in 'Open to All'.
Your application is live as soon as you have submitted your application and registered your email address. You can log in using your registered email address and password and will be able to bid on properties that are advertised for your allocated band straight away.
Housing Bands
The Derby City Council’s Allocation policy 2020 to 2025 explains in more detail how decisions are made on how we prioritise those who need housing and how properties are allocated in Derby City.
You will be placed in the Corporate Needs band if your circumstances reflect the key corporate priorities of the City Council. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Care leavers
- People moving on from specialist supported housing
- People who are releasing larger properties
- Those approved to foster and need a larger property
You will be placed in the Priority Needs band for reasons such as:
- Being homeless or threatened with homelessness
- Living in overcrowded accommodation
- You have been a member of the armed forces
- You are at serious risk of harm
If you are placed the General Needs band, it is likely you will be waiting a long time for a property. You will be placed in this band for reasons like:
- Under occupying a property by one bedroom
- You need to move to take up or remain in employment
- Our homeless duty has ended
If you have been placed in the 'Open to all' band, it means you either do not have a recognised housing need or you are not eligible, for instance you have rent arrears and no repayment plan in place. It is highly unlikely that you will be offered a property. There are currently around 2000 people in Open to all and in the last three months, 0 properties have been advertised in this band.
We recommend that people in this band look at other options such as renting privately, or if you're already in a social housing property, consider a 'Mutual Exchange'.
It’s very difficult for us to be able to give you an accurate idea of how long you may wait to be rehoused. Waiting times are affected by the type, size and area of the property you are looking for as well as your individual circumstances. You should consider options available to you, to increase your chances of being rehoused.