Residents in Thanet are being asked to share their views on changes to the way the council allocates homes to people on its Housing Register.
The updated Housing Allocations Policy has been reviewed by Councillors but before it’s finalised people who live in Thanet are being invited to give their feedback on the proposed changes. These will help make sure the policy is fair for everyone.
Thanet District Council provides homes for social and affordable rent to local people who need them. The Housing Allocations Policy sets out how these homes are allocated and how local people can be eligible to apply to join the Housing Register. It also explains what help people on the Housing Register can expect from the council.
Local people are now invited to share their feedback on the proposed changes via a short survey on Your Voice Thanet, the council’s online public engagement platform. The survey is open until 5pm on Sunday 15 June 2025.
A number of changes are proposed, including to the criteria used to assess who can be accepted onto the Housing Register. Applicants are assessed based on their housing need, property suitability, and any long-term medical conditions, and are placed into the appropriate band. If adopted, the changes will help to ensure that we are supporting the people most in need, to join the Housing Register.
Further changes are put forward, to help to free up larger homes for families who need more bedrooms, and so that adapted properties are allocated to the people with the greatest need. It is also proposed that the complaints procedure is updated.
Cllr Helen Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Housing at Thanet District Council, said:
“Providing secure and genuinely affordable housing is our greatest responsibility to residents. Ensuring we are supporting the most in need and matching properties to need is essential. Our Housing Allocations Policy determines how we do that, and how housing is prioritised. Having the right home makes a huge difference to both health and happiness.”
“We are proposing several changes to this policy which I believe are important. We are suggesting new descriptors for each band, making them easier to understand. We are proposing increased eligibility for armed forces personnel. We are trying to make it clearer how we can support neurodivergent families, as well as ensuring that housing produced for Thanet residents goes directly to support those under our care.
“If adopted, this policy would apply to everyone in council-owned properties, and to everyone hoping to join the Housing Register. Please read the draft policy and share your feedback and opinions. We need to know how we can best support you, and we can only do that with your input. The comments that we receive will inform our final version of the policy, which will be in place for the next year.
“We are committed to providing much needed council housing. There are already over 400 homes in the pipeline, with 170 more approved for purchase for in-house temporary accommodation. We are doing everything possible to increase the supply of council housing in Thanet and house people on our register.”
The draft policy is available on the council’s website. It applies to the properties that the council owns. It also applies to registered social housing providers, who must advertise a percentage of their properties to people on the council’s Housing Register.
