Housing allocations policy and scheme

13. Statutory Requirements

1. 13.1. Under the Housing Act 1996 Great Yarmouth Council must ensure that when allocating and nominating to housing accommodation, reasonable preference is given to the following groups:
   • people who are homeless within the meaning of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (including those who are intentionally homeless and those not in priority need)
   • people who are owed a duty by any housing authority under the Housing Act 1996 sections 190(2), 193(2) or 195(2) (or under section 65(2) or 68(2) of the Housing Act 1985) or who are occupying accommodation secured by any such authority under section 192(3)
   • people occupying insanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions
   • people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability
   • people who need to move to a particular locality in the district of the authority, where failure to meet that need would cause hardship (to themselves or to others)
2. 13.2. The Housing Act 1996 also requires that housing authorities must give additional preference to the following categories of applicants who fall within one or more of the reasonable preference categories and who have urgent housing needs:
   • former members of the Armed Forces
   • serving members of the Armed Forces who need to move because of a serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service
   • bereaved spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner
   • serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service
3. 13.3. Those applicants who are in the above categories and are placed in Bands Emergency to D and are considered to have urgent housing needs will be given additional priority so that they are considered for re-housing ahead of other applicants in their respective Band.