WHAT EVIDENCE IS NEEDED TO SUPPORT AN APPLICATION? Verifying an application

We will ask an applicant to provide supporting information, as follows: 29.1. To prove eligibility for housing

An applicant’s eligibility for social housing will by checked during the application process. If their eligibility changes at any time during the process and they become ineligible for social housing the application will be cancelled. We will need to see:  The applicant’s passport

 Their spouse/partner’s passport if the applicant is making a joint application  Home Office documents confirming the applicant’s immigration status (if relevant)  The applicant’s full birth certificate

 The applicant’s spouse/partner’s full birth certificate  The applicant ‘s children(s) full birth certificate(s)

29.2. To prove an applicant qualifies to go on the housing register

 Tenancy agreements for properties the applicant has lived in over the past six years. If these are unavailable, the applicant can prove their previous addresses with bills, bank statements, credit card statements or other official documents such as benefit letters showing where they have lived over the past six years

 If employed, payslips for the past 12 months

 If self-employed, audited accounts for the past 18 months  If on benefits, details of benefits received

 If receiving out of work or disability benefits, your proof of entitlement to benefits. Where an applicant is considered to have sufficient resources to access low cost home ownership or other intermediate housing option, they will be offered advice or assistance, on home ownership products and offered the opportunity to join the Council’s Home Buy

Register.

29.3. To demonstrate housing need

 Details of any medical condition, physical disability or sensory impairment that is affected by the applicant’s current accommodation.

 The name and practice of the applicant’s GP, or hospital consultant, if they are claiming medical or disability priority.

 The name and address of their social worker, key worker or therapist if relevant to their application.

 A certificate of discharge/service (Army form 108 or equivalent) or a statement of service from the British Armed Forces (if applicable)

All supporting information should be provided promptly. Any delays in providing the information will mean your application will not be placed on the housing register. You will be notified of the outcome of your application within 28 days of receiving a completed application with all the supporting information required.

This letter will:

 Confirm what Housing Needs Band the applicant has been placed in. Some

assessments (such as those relating to medical conditions) may take longer and may result in a change in banding)

 Confirm the size (and, if applicable, the type) of property the applicant is eligible for  Confirm the applicant’s effective date

 Include a reminder about informing the Council of any change in the household’s circumstances

 Provide a registration number and unique pin number  Provide details of the appeal and review process  Explain the requirement for annual re-registration

 Provide information on how to apply for the community Contribution Reward Priority. 30. CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Once placed in a priority band, applicants should notify the Council in writing of any material change in their circumstances that will affect their priority for housing, for example:

 a change of address, for themselves or any other person on the application.  any additions to the family or any other person joining the application

 any member of the family or any other person on the application who has left the accommodation.

 any change in income and/or savings.

 any medical or mobility need which will affect the type of accommodation being offered deemed suitable

Applications may be temporarily suspended while the Council assesses the information provided by the applicant and completes further enquiries that may be necessary.

The Council will carry out an assessment of each applicant’s entitlement to and priority for re-housing on the basis of information which has been provided by the applicant or otherwise received in connection with the applicant. Where the Council believes that information about the applicant’s personal circumstances have been deliberately withheld or misleadingly presented, then the Council will reserve the right to withdraw any priority or offer of accommodation

30.1. What happens if applicant does not notify us about a change?

If the Council find an applicant’s circumstances have changed as a result of the annual review of their application, or as part of the pre-offer verification checks and they have not notified us about the change, their application will be suspended from bidding while we investigate how the changes affect the applicant’s eligibility and housing priority. 30.2. Why do I need to provide details about my gender, ethnicity or religion? We have a legal duty to ensure that our housing allocations scheme does not

discriminate against any applicant on the grounds of their sex, pregnancy or maternity, race, ethnicity, disability, age, religion or faith, marital status, sexual orientation or gender reassignment. This also applies to how we help people to apply for housing, as

well as the decisions we make about whether people are eligible, whether people qualify for reasonable preference for housing, what priority an applicant gets, and which

applicants we choose for an offer of social housing.

We need all applicants to provide equality information so we can monitor how fair we are being in administering the scheme, in the decisions we make and who we choose to offer social housing on the grounds of age, sex, ethnicity, disability and other relevant equality information.

30.3. Will you share the information on my application with anyone else?

We treat the information included on your housing application as strictly confidential. We will ask your consent to share some information with a landlord who is considering offering you a property.

The information included on your housing application is also protected by the Data Protection Act 1998. This means we cannot share the personal information provided on your application form without your consent, except in specific exceptional

circumstances.

We can share personal information without your consent in the following exceptional circumstances:

 Where data sharing is allowed under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998  Where there is a serious threat to council staff or to one of our contractors  Where the information is relevant to the management or support duties of the

proposed landlord or support organisation to ensure the health and safety of the applicant, a member of his or her household, or a member of staff