If your home is too small, unsafe, or wrong for your health, you may be able to move through the council housing register. Here is how it works and how priority is decided.
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Direct answer
To be considered for a council or housing association home, you usually join your council's housing register (sometimes called the waiting list). The council then places you in a priority band based on your need, for example overcrowding, a medical condition made worse by your home, or homelessness. You apply through your local council. For free advice, contact your council or Shelter (0808 800 4444). If a repair the landlord has ignored is part of the problem, that may also be a disrepair claim, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
How the housing register works
Every council runs its own scheme for who can join and how people are prioritised. In general:
- You apply to join the register with your local council. Some have rules about how long you must have lived in the area.
- The council puts you in a band (often Band A, B, C and so on). Higher bands get priority.
- You "bid" for available homes you are eligible for, usually online. The home goes to the highest-priority bidder.
You can find your council's scheme and apply through GOV.UK: apply for council housing.
What raises your priority
Councils usually give higher priority where there is real need, such as:
- Overcrowding, your home is too small for your household. See overcrowding: your rights.
- A medical or disability need that your current home makes worse (a letter from your doctor or a care assessment helps).
- Homelessness or being threatened with homelessness. See homeless or being evicted, what to do.
- Serious disrepair or unsafe conditions the landlord will not fix.
Ask the council to reassess your band if your situation has changed, and put your reasons in writing with evidence.
Where we fit in
Support for Tenants helps with housing disrepair claims. We do not run the housing register or decide rehousing, that is your council. But if part of the reason you want to move is damp, mould, cold, or a hazard your landlord has ignored, you may have a disrepair claim worth pursuing at the same time. Call us free on 0800 030 4669, send the short form, or message us on WhatsApp. See also where to get other housing help.
Sources
- Housing Act 1996, Part 6 (allocation of housing accommodation) (legislation.gov.uk)
- Apply for council housing (GOV.UK)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 24 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
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