Social Housing Guide UK 2026

Types of Social Housing in the UK

Social housing in the UK is provided by two main types of landlord:

1. Council Housing (Local Authority)

Council homes are owned and managed by local councils (local authorities). They typically offer the most secure form of social tenancy — a secure tenancy — which gives long-term housing rights and protections. Council housing was built extensively from the 1940s to 1980s; today, most new social housing is built by housing associations rather than councils.

2. Housing Associations (Registered Providers)

Housing associations are not-for-profit private organisations that develop and manage affordable and social housing. They are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. Housing associations own the majority of social housing stock in England today and are the primary source of new social housing. They offer a range of tenancy types including social rent (typically 50–60% of market rent), affordable rent (up to 80% of market rent) and shared ownership.

3. Other Social Housing Providers

Some social housing is also provided through arm's-length management organisations (ALMOs), which manage council stock on behalf of the local authority, and through various community land trusts and cooperative housing models. All are regulated and provide affordable, secure tenancy options.

How to Apply for Social Housing

To be considered for social housing, you must register on your local council's housing register (also called the housing waiting list or housing list). Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Contact your local council. Find your council's housing department through GOV.UK or your council's website. Most councils now accept online applications. Some councils have eligibility criteria — for example, you may need to have a local connection to the area (lived there, worked there, or have close family there).
2. Complete the application. You will need to provide: proof of identity for all household members, proof of current address (utility bills, tenancy agreement), details of your current housing situation, income and benefit information, and information about any health conditions that affect your housing needs.
3. Receive your priority band. Once your application is assessed, you will be placed in a priority band (A, B, C or D — or similar depending on the council). This band determines how urgently the council considers your housing need.
4. Start bidding for properties. Most councils operate a Choice-Based Lettings (CBL) system. When a property becomes available, it is advertised and you bid for it. Your band and waiting time determine your priority in the queue.
5. Wait for a successful bid. When you are the successful bidder, you will be offered a viewing and, if accepted, a tenancy. If you refuse suitable offers without good reason, you may be downgraded in priority or removed from the list.

Priority Bands Explained

Most councils in England use a banding system to prioritise applicants by housing need. While exact criteria vary by council, the typical band structure is:

Within each band, applicants are typically ranked by how long they have been registered (date order). This means that two Band B applicants compete based on who registered first. Some councils use a "gold, silver, bronze" system or numbered bands — the principle is the same.

How Long Is the Social Housing Wait?

Wait times for social housing in the UK vary dramatically by area and priority band:

The national average wait is approximately 5 years, but this figure masks enormous regional variation. In London, the average wait for a two-bedroom property in some boroughs exceeds 15 years. In parts of the North East or Wales, waits of 1–2 years for certain property types are more common.

The extreme scarcity of social housing — driven by Right to Buy sales from the 1980s onwards, insufficient new social housing construction, and rising demand — means that social housing is increasingly rationed only to those with the most acute needs.

Choice-Based Lettings and the Bidding System

The majority of social housing in England is now allocated through Choice-Based Lettings (CBL). This system works as follows:

• When a council or housing association property becomes available (vacant), it is advertised — usually online via a portal like Homefinder or the council's own website, for a set period (typically one or two weeks).
• Eligible applicants on the housing register can express interest ("bid") in the property during the advertising period.
• At the close of the advertising period, all bids are ranked. The applicant with the highest priority band, then longest waiting time within that band, is offered the property first.
• If the highest-priority bidder accepts, a viewing and tenancy are arranged. If they decline, the property is offered to the next eligible bidder.

Bidding through CBL is not competitive in the way that auction bidding is — you cannot outbid others financially. Your priority is entirely determined by your band and registration date. You can typically bid on multiple properties simultaneously, and there is no penalty for unsuccessful bids.

Priority Groups for Social Housing

Under the Housing Act 1996 (as amended), certain groups have a statutory reasonable preference for social housing. Councils must give these groups priority:

• Homeless households — particularly those to whom the council owes a statutory homelessness duty
• Overcrowded households — families living in severely overcrowded conditions
• Medical need — people whose health condition is significantly worsened by their current housing
• Social need — people who need to move for welfare reasons (e.g. to escape domestic violence, or to receive or give support)
• Insecure housing — people in insanitary, overcrowded or otherwise unsatisfactory housing conditions

Additional Priority Categories (Policy, Not Statutory)

Many councils also give additional priority to:

• Care leavers — young people leaving the care system (under 21, or up to 25 in some councils)
• Veterans — former members of the Armed Forces, particularly those with service-related needs
• Victims of domestic violence — often given Band A to enable rapid rehousing
• Disabled people — particularly where adapted or accessible properties are needed
• People leaving supported accommodation — including rehabilitation programmes, refuge accommodation or mental health facilities
• Key workers — in some high-cost areas, councils operate key worker housing schemes

How Is Social Housing Rent Set?

Social housing rents are set below market rates, making them the most affordable form of rented accommodation. In England, there are two main rent regimes:

Social Rent

Calculated using a government formula based on local earnings, the value of the property and the number of bedrooms. Social rents are typically 40–60% of local private market rents. Annual increases are regulated by government — currently limited to CPI plus 1% per year, subject to periodic caps.

Affordable Rent

Introduced by the government in 2011, affordable rent is set at up to 80% of local private market rent (including service charges). Whilst cheaper than private renting, it is significantly more expensive than social rent. Most new social housing built since 2011 is let at affordable rent rather than social rent.

Both social rent and affordable rent are eligible for Housing Benefit and the housing element of Universal Credit (subject to the Local Housing Allowance cap applying to affordable rent in some cases).

Bedroom Entitlement and the Spare Room Subsidy ("Bedroom Tax")

Social housing is allocated according to the number of bedrooms a household needs, based on the social housing bedroom standard:

Spare Room Subsidy (Bedroom Tax)

If you are a working-age social tenant receiving Housing Benefit (or the housing element of Universal Credit) and you have more bedrooms than your household needs according to the above criteria, your Housing Benefit/UC housing element is reduced:

• 1 spare bedroom: 14% reduction
• 2 or more spare bedrooms: 25% reduction

This reduction — officially the "Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy" but widely called the "bedroom tax" — does not apply to pensioners. Various exemptions apply, including for disabled people who need an extra bedroom for equipment or overnight carers.

Security of Tenure in Social Housing

One of the most significant advantages of social housing is the security of tenure it provides compared to private renting.

Secure Tenancy (Council Housing)

Most council tenants have a secure tenancy under the Housing Act 1985. This provides very strong rights: you can stay indefinitely as long as you comply with the tenancy conditions (paying rent, not causing nuisance etc.), and succession rights allow a qualifying family member to inherit the tenancy on the tenant's death. Secure tenancies can only be ended by a court order.

Assured Tenancy (Housing Associations)

Most housing association tenants have an assured tenancy under the Housing Act 1988. This also provides strong security — you cannot be evicted without a court order and must be given proper notice. Succession rights are slightly more limited than secure tenancies.

Starter Tenancy (Probationary Period)

Many new social tenants are given a starter tenancy (or introductory tenancy for councils) for the first 12 months. During this probationary period, fewer rights apply and it is easier for the landlord to end the tenancy — typically by giving 28 days' notice and a court order. If no issues arise, the tenancy automatically converts to a secure or assured tenancy after 12 months.

Right to Buy — Buying Your Council Home

The Right to Buy (RTB) scheme allows eligible council tenants in England to purchase their home at a significant discount. It was introduced in 1980 and has resulted in the sale of over 1.9 million council homes.

Eligibility

• Must be a secure council tenant
• Must have spent at least 3 years as a public sector tenant (not necessarily in the same property or council area — cumulative public sector tenancy qualifies)
• The property must be your main and only home
• The property must be self-contained

Right to Buy Discounts (2025/26)

The discount starts at 35% of the market value for a house (after 3 years' tenancy) and increases by 1% per additional year, up to a maximum of 70%. For flats, the starting discount is 50% after 3 years, increasing by 2% per year up to 70%. The discount cannot exceed the maximum cash limit above.

Shared Ownership — A Step Onto the Housing Ladder

Shared Ownership is a government-backed scheme that allows buyers who cannot afford to purchase on the open market to buy a share of a new-build or resale property from a housing association and pay rent on the remaining share.

How Shared Ownership Works

• You buy an initial share of between 10% and 75% of the property's full market value
• You pay rent (typically around 2.75% per year) on the remaining share owned by the housing association
• You need a mortgage to buy your share (minimum 5% deposit on your share)
• Over time, you can buy additional shares — a process called "staircasing" — until you own 100% of the property
• When you sell, you must give the housing association the first right of refusal if you own less than 100%

Eligibility

• Household income must not exceed £80,000/year (£90,000 in London)
• Must be a first-time buyer, or a former homeowner who cannot afford to buy again
• Must not currently own a home

Shared Ownership properties are available through housing associations and are found through the Own Your Home government portal.

Mutual Exchange — Swapping Your Social Home

If you are already a social tenant but want to move — perhaps to a different area, a larger or smaller property, or a more suitable home — a mutual exchange can be a much faster route than going back on the waiting list.

Mutual exchange involves two (or more) social tenants agreeing to swap their homes. Both landlords must give their consent (which can only be refused on specific grounds). The key points are:

• Both tenants take on the other's tenancy — you swap tenancies, not just homes
• You can exchange with a tenant of a different social landlord (council for housing association, or vice versa)
• You can exchange across local authority areas — useful for moving closer to family or employment
• Landlords can refuse on grounds such as the property being too large or too small for the incoming tenant, or the property being subject to legal proceedings
• Popular platforms for finding exchange partners include HomeSwapper and House Exchange

After Eviction — The Local Authority Homelessness Duty

If you are at risk of losing your home, whether through eviction from private or social rented accommodation, you should contact your local council's housing team as early as possible — ideally as soon as you receive any notice or are threatened with homelessness.

Prevention and Relief Duties

Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, councils have two stages of duty:

• Prevention duty (56 days): If you are threatened with homelessness within 56 days, the council must take reasonable steps to prevent you becoming homeless. This may involve negotiating with your landlord, providing financial assistance, or helping you find alternative accommodation.
• Relief duty (56 days): If you are already homeless (or prevention fails), the council must take reasonable steps to help you secure accommodation for at least 6 months.

Main Homelessness Duty

If the council is satisfied that you are homeless, eligible, in priority need and did not become homeless intentionally, it has a full rehousing duty to secure settled accommodation for you. Priority need groups include families with dependent children, pregnant women, people who are vulnerable due to old age, physical or mental illness, and people who were in care or the Armed Forces.

People placed in temporary accommodation (B&B, hostel, temporary flat) by the council retain their place on the housing register and are typically given Band A or B priority.

Frequently Asked Questions