Housing need is prioritised in the scheme and are called reasonable preference bands. There are 4 bands ranked in order of priority:
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Band A – Exceptional Housing Need
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Band B – High Housing Need
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Band C – Medium Housing Need
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Band D – Low Housing Need
How housing needs are ranked
The following list shows where different housing needs are ranked:
Band A - Exceptional Housing Need
- exceptional housing need that takes priority over other applicants
- Statutory Homeless and owed the full Housing Duty by Dorset Council s193 (2)
- exceptional disrepair need
- exceptional medical need
- urgent welfare need
- Statutory Overcrowding Part X Housing Act 1985
Band B - High Housing Need
- owed a relief duty under s189B (2)
- under occupying social housing
- overcrowded by 2 or more bedrooms
- corporate parenting responsibility
- proven social need/support delivery of another service
- severe and/or persistent harassment
- high disrepair need
- social tenant living in adapted property
- high medical need
- social tenant requiring extensive adaptations
- corporate duty
- supported housing and ready to move on
- efficient management of housing stock
- owed a relief duty under s189B (2) with no local connection
- high welfare need
Band C – Medium Housing Need
- owed a Prevention Duty under s195 (2)
- homeless households
- medium medical need
- medium disrepair need
- accommodation duty following deliberate and unreasonable refusal to cooperate (S193c(4)) duty owed
- social tenant with right to move for work
- split families
- medium welfare need
- owed a Prevention Duty under s195 (2) with no local connection
- need to move for critical/essential support to avoid hardship
- unsatisfactory or unsanitary conditions
- overcrowded by 1 bedroom
- affordability
- service personnel
Band D – Low Housing Need
- low housing need
- low medical need
- low disrepair need
- older people’s housing
- older peoples housing no local connection
- supported housing or care leaver not ready to move on
- low welfare need
- applicants with other housing related debts