Things to know before you apply (Step 1)

Under the new policy all vacancies will be let on a priority basis meaning that properties will be offered in order of priority banding. This means we’ll attempt to have our applicants in the higher bands housed as soon as possible, as they’ve been assessed as having the highest need.

To lessen your waiting time, we recommend you are flexible with your property and location preferences. Our Assessment Officers will discuss this with you when your application is reviewed.

We want to be honest – if you are in Band 4 you are very unlikely to be housed.

We have an Interactive Homeseeker Checker tool that can provide more information on waiting times, which you can access here.

Certain applicants are not eligible to join the housing register, as stated in section 3.2.1 of the 2024 Lettings Policy. You’ll not qualify to join the housing register for the following reasons:

• You are a non-eligible applicant from abroad (Please see section 3.1.2 of the Lettings Policy for further information).
• You have held your current social housing tenancy for less than 12 months.
• You or a member of your household has the independent financial means to purchase another home which meets your needs.
• You are from outside of Barnsley without a local connection.
• You are under 18, not in priority need, do not have a guarantor and cannot show you will be supported in a tenancy.
• You, or a member of your household, has been evicted for rent or mortgage arrears and have not had a settled period of a minimum of six months nor met the criteria for reassessment.
• You, or a member of your household cannot demonstrate that you have a rent or mortgage account which is less than 4 months in arrears.
• You or a member of your household has made a fraudulent claim for housing and/or housing benefit or committed social housing fraud in the last 5 years or longer where you have not repaid the fraudulently obtained funds or have any related unspent convictions.
• You or a member of your household, has caused damage to a property and been charged for damages and/or recharges and/or court costs of over £1000.
• You or a member of your household, have been evicted for anti-social behaviour or unacceptable behaviour and there has been no demonstrable evidence of behaviour change in settled accommodation.
• You or a member of your household or visitors have caused anti-social behaviour in your home or neighbourhood and are subject to breach of tenancy action by your landlord or where you are not tenants and are subject to other forms of legal action by the Council or police because of that behaviour.
• You or a member of your household, has unspent criminal convictions which makes you unsuitable to be a tenant.
• You are currently in the process of exercising your Right to Buy of your existing social housing property.
• Your application has been cancelled in the last 2 years as a result of:
  • Not bidding.
  • Unreasonably refusing more than the allowed number of reasonable offers.
  • Failing to take the necessary action to become an active applicant.

Demand for social housing significantly exceeds available supply and it is likely that most applicants will never be rehoused through the Homeseeker Scheme. With this in mind, it is a good idea to explore all options available to you.

Some Housing Associations who advertise vacancies through the Homeseeker Scheme also keep their own waiting lists or advertise through other means such as Rightmove. We would recommend you contact Housing Associations to discuss your housing needs.

Private renting is also a good alternative option to social housing. You’ll have more freedom to select your preferred areas and set your budget. Barnsley Council has a webpage offering advice to those considering private accommodation, which you can access here.

There are lots of things to think about before deciding you are ready to maintain a tenancy. We have dedicated Housing Coaches to support you if required, you can contact them here.

Below is a list of things to think about when deciding if you are tenancy ready:

• Do you require support with managing money (I.e., bills, rent, unsecured debt)?
• Do you require advice relating to benefits?
• Do you require support for managing a property (I.e., cooking, cleaning)?
• Do you require support relating to drug use?
• Do you require support relating to alcohol use?
• Do you require support relating to mental health?

If any of the above apply to you, please tell us as part of your application and we can discuss this with you as part of the assessment process.

If you’re currently homeless or threatened with homelessness, you should contact Barnsley Council as soon as possible. They will provide appropriate advice and support based on your circumstances and assess if homeless priority should be awarded. You can visit their website here.