Housing Guide for Care Leavers

Your housing entitlement

As a Care Leaving young person, you are given priority when you are made ‘live’ to bid on the Housing Register (HR). 
Care Leavers that are on the Housing Register are only entitled to studios or bedsits. One-bedroom flats are rarely available for care leavers as they are prioritised for people who have carers and health needs or are couples. It is important that you do not waste your time waiting for a property you won’t be entitled to as those with a higher number of points on the Housing Register will always be selected over you.

Types of Offers

You could receive an offer in two ways:

• By bidding – you see what is available and bid on it
• By direct offer – the Council identifies a suitable property based on your needs and what is in your application and makes you an offer

Refusals

7.4 The Royal Borough Kensington and Chelsea Allocations Scheme 2017 Penalties for refusing an offer of suitable housing policy

Even though you are eligible to bid on the Housing Register you can still be made a direct offer while you are bidding. 
If you are shortlisted for a property, the Council’s Housing Team will contact you with the viewing details. You must view it within the timescale provided.

If you’re unable to do so, or need help, you must contact the Allocations Team. If you do not , this will be counted as a refusal.

Regarding choice-based lettings, the Council considers a refusal to be one of the following:

• a refusal to view a property having submitted a bid for it, without good reason,
• a refusal to attend a viewing for a property, without good reason, 
• a refusal of a suitable property offers.

If you refuse three property offers, through either bidding and/or direct offers, your waiting points will be removed for 12 months from the date of your last suitable offer. However, you will keep your main priority points (such as independent living points) and you will still be able to bid for homes and receive direct offers.

Should your waiting points be removed and your priority date changed, or you believe that an offer was not suitable, you will have a right to request a review of that decision. 

It is important to understand that you can refuse two suitable offer, but you will have to accept the next suitable offer.
Please note that if you refuse your direct offers or do not bid for your final stage accommodation, this can also impact your current placement /supported housing and you may be required to move to alternative accommodation, this could be low cost or private renting. 

Priority Dates

Whilst priority dates will no longer be suspended your priority date will change to the date of last suitable offer once three suitable offers have been refused. This means you will have “lost your position in the queue” and will have to wait longer.

For example: if you refuse your last offer on the 01/10/2023 this will be your new priority date going forward.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why am I getting direct offers?

Direct offers are based on the availability of suitable properties and your position on the Housing Register compared to everyone else waiting for properties of the same size.  

If you have very specific requirements regarding your new home, for example mobility issues, the Housing Allocations Team may make you a direct offer if something that meets your needs becomes available and you are the next appropriate match.  

Can a direct offer be made while I am bidding?

Yes, this can happen as it depends on housing availability and where you are on the Housing Register. This will count towards the 3 offers you will receive.

What happens if I refuse my direct offers?

If you refuse your first direct offer you can continue bidding or receive another direct offer until you have received three offers. Please refer to the penalties for refusing an offer of suitable housing for detailed advice

Does my bidding on a property and a direct offer count as the same thing if I refuse?

Yes, the same penalties will apply.

What happens if I refuse a property that I bid for after viewing it?

If you bid on a property and you are number 3 on the viewing list but number 1 and number 2 refuse the property, it will then be offered to you. However, if you refuse the property, it will be counted a refusal.

What does priority date mean?

As a Care Leaver young person, you are given priority when you are made ‘live’ to bid on the Housing Register (HR). This is from your sixteenth birthday if you were in care before that birthday. However, if you came into care after your sixteenth birthday it is from that date.

How does the Priority Date work?

When two or more applicants with the same number of points bid for the same property, the person with the earliest Priority Date will be allocated the property. This is because the Priority Date indicates who has been in housing need the longest.

For example: Person A has a Priority Date of March 2020 and person B has a Priority Date of February 2021. If they both bid for the same property, the tenancy will go to A because they have been on the Housing waiting list longer.