Housing Options

Please note this is in line with the Common Allocations Policy, in place from 1st July 2025

How does the Housing Register work? 

The way that applications are processed will mean that your application, once verified, will be placed into individual ‘Bands’ according to the answers you have given to the questions.

Do I qualify for Social Housing in Ceredigion?

You qualify for Social Housing in Ceredigion if you can say yes to the following:

1.    If you or a member of your household is aged 16 or over

2.   You meet our Local Connection Criteria

3.   You are in Housing Need

4.   Your household equity and/or savings are less than £90,000.

5.   You do not have a history of unacceptable behaviour.

 

How do I apply for Housing in Ceredigion?

You can apply ‘online’ for Housing by entering www.ceredigionhousingoptions.cymru  in the search bar on your computer

What if I don’t have a computer at home? 

You can find free internet access at your local library and support agencies such as the Care Society, Age Cymru, Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

What if I need help to do this?

If you have difficulty applying online there will be staff available to assist you in this process at the venues mentioned above. Please ask for help if you need assistance.

What can I do if I cannot apply online?

You can contact Ceredigion County Council’s Contact Centre by telephone on 01545 574123 and they can take an application from you over the telephone.

Do I need to answer every question to register?

All questions marked with a * MUST be answered or you will be unable to complete the application. The more information you give us, the better.

What do I need to tell you?

You need to tell us about you (as the main applicant) and if you have a partner then we will need those details too. We will ask for 5 years housing history so please have those details available. We will also need details of any other people to be housed with you. Children who live with you should also be included. Other questions will be asked regarding your current housing situation to enable us to fully assess your housing need.

What happens if my circumstances change?

Please update your application to reflect your change in circumstances as soon as possible.

How many area choices can I make?

You can choose up to 5 areas to live in within Ceredigion.

What are the Local Connection Criteria?

There are a number of factors that are considered to be ‘local connections’. They are:

• When you apply, you can show that you have lived in Ceredigion or in some specific   border wards adjoining major towns for the last five years, at the point of application.
•  When you apply, you can show that you have been employed in Ceredigion for the last five years, at point of application.
• When you apply, you can show that you have close family living in Ceredigion, and they have been here for at least 10 years, at point of application.
• You or a member of your household served or are still serving in HM Forces and have lived in Ceredigion at some point for at least five years.
• Care leavers for whom Ceredigion County Council has been providing care who may have been placed out of County but wish to return
• Care Leavers who have been in the care of other Local Authorities who meet the local connection criteria.
• Working with the Ceredigion Housing Options team under a statutory homeless duty for the last 12 months.

What counts as ‘close family’?

Has close family – defined as parent (or parental equivalent) and (adult) child relationship, or brothers and sisters with established relationship in Ceredigion, who have been resident within the County for at least 10 years.

What is ‘priority need’ in Homelessness?

The term ‘priority need’ means that you or a member of your household fulfil one or more of the following criteria:

• You are a pregnant woman.
• You have dependent children.
• You are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap or physical disability or other special reason.
• You are homeless or threatened with homelessness as a result of an emergency such as flood, fire or other disaster.
• You are aged 16-17 years old.
• You are aged 18–21 year-old leaving care or at risk of financial or sexual exploitation.
• You became homeless after leaving the armed forces.
• You are a former prisoner who became homeless after being released from custody.
• You are vulnerable as a result of fleeing domestic abuse or the threat of domestic abuse.

What is ‘housing need’?

Housing need means one or more of the following things:

• If you or a member of your household needs to move on medical or welfare grounds
• If you are living in insanitary or unsatisfactory housing conditions.
• If you are and your household are living in overcrowded housing.
• If you or a member of your household need to move to be cared for or to care for another person, where not to move would cause social or welfare hardship.
• Applicants who demonstrate that the cost of housing in the private rented sector for their household size is unaffordable (assessment will be undertaken)
• Applicants who are ready to be discharged or to move on from supported housing and care settings.
• Care Leavers. This includes young people who have been in the care of Ceredigion County Council for at least 13 weeks, and who’s care ended after their 16th birthday.
• We will also consider Care Leavers who have been in the care of other Local Authorities who meet the local connection criteria.
• Under occupation of social rented accommodation within Ceredigion. This helps us match households with the right sized property by encouraging movement.
• Adapted housing occupied by social housing contract holders in Ceredigion who no longer have the need. This helps us match adapted properties with those who need it.

What is included in ‘household earnings’?

Household earnings mean all money that is earned by the applicant, their partner and all other household members over the age of 18 years.

What is equity?

Equity is any savings (excluding pension savings) or property, including land, that you or any household member over 18, own or part own.

What does Unacceptable Behaviour mean?

Unacceptable behaviour grounds (as defined by s55, Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016).
* A member of the household has been guilty of unacceptable behaviour serious enough to make them unsuitable to be a contract holder and at the time of application, they are still considered unsuitable to be a contract holder.

Does it need to be by the Applicant?

No. The unacceptable behaviour could be carried out by any member of the household who is intending to live in the property

What are Preference Bands?

There are six Preference Bands. Each Band groups together different housing need factors. Preference Bands A, B, C & D include applications who are in a ‘housing need’ that is identified in legislation.

Preference Bands A, B, C & D also include some ‘housing needs’ that are priorities for Ceredigion.

• Urgent/Recognised Priority medical/ mental health/ welfare needs for one or more household member, where their current accommodation is having a detrimental effect
• A Ceredigion Social Housing tenant occupying an adapted property for which they have no need
• A Ceredigion Social Housing tenant under-occupying current accommodation by one or more bedrooms
• Ceredigion Social Housing/Private rental tenant in overcrowded accommodation as defined in s324 of Housing Act 1985
• Poor housing conditions which cannot be addressed through enforcement action
• Cost of housing in the private rented sector for household size (based on local median rent) is 30%, or more, than their gross household income. Evidence will need to be provided
• Homeless with or without a duty (Assessment will need to be undertaken)

• To support or be supported in Ceredigion or where no move would cause hardship
• Planned discharge/ move-on from institution, supported project and/or Care system (excluding prison)

Band E includes applications which do not require Social Housing.

Band F includes applicants who do not qualify for consideration for Social Housing for a number of reasons.

You and your household’s application may be placed in Band F if you have one or more of the following factors:

• You or a member of your household has a history of unacceptable behaviour that was serious enough to be grounds to seek eviction. You do not have to have been evicted, however the offences must have been serious enough, that it could have resulted in eviction.
• You or a member of your household has deliberately worsened your housing situation.
• You and your household have refused a reasonable offer of accommodation, made through the Common Housing Register
• You or a member of your household has equity and/or savings of more than £90K.

What are Quotas and how do they work?

The quota system allows different housing need groups to be considered for housing. This helps to make sure housing allocations can address a cross section of need.

The quota system is designed to allocate housing from Preference Bands A, B, C and D

What is a Reasonable Offer?

A reasonable offer is one that takes into consideration the following factors that are asked during the application.

• Affordability
• Cultural needs
• Location
• Number of bedrooms
• Property type
• Support needs

Can I refuse a reasonable offer?

Yes. However, if you refuse a reasonable offer, you will be moved into Band F for up to 12 months

What does deliberately worsening or manipulating housing circumstances mean?

You will be placed in Band F if you have chosen to do something that has made your housing situation worse. Alternatively, you have failed to take action which could have improved your housing situation.

What is Older Person’s Accommodation?

The properties that are available specifically for older people include, Sheltered Accommodation, Extra Care housing and designated rural bungalows.

Designated Rural Bungalows, are properties that have been identified by the Registered Social Landlord's as being best suited for older people.

Who is Older Person's Accommodation for?

Different people have different housing needs. For some older people the need for more accessible and supported accommodation is a priority. Therefore, Older persons accommodation is made available to meet that need. The policy states that applicants are able to apply from the age of 55 years. This is to make sure the accommodation targets the correct people.

Do all household members need to be 55 years or older?

To be able to apply for older persons housing one or more members of the household need to be 55 years or older. Not all applicants need to be over 55.

How many choices do I have?

You can choose as many or as few sheltered schemes as you want. This is to make sure that you are able have your needs clearly understood at the point of application.

What is Accessible Housing?  

Accessible Housing is housing that has been specially built or adapted to make it more useable for people physical impairments. There are different types of adaptations for different levels of need.

Who can apply for Accessible Housing?

You can apply for Accessible Housing if you or a member of your family has a physical disability or impairment which requires accessible housing. There is no age restriction for accessible housing.

What are the Local Connection criteria for Accessible Housing?

The Local Connection criteria are the same for all housing registers, but with one additional factor for Accessible Housing. If you or a member of your household has accepted a definite offer of employment in Ceredigion, you will meet the Local Connection conditions.

How many choices do I have?

You can choose up to 10 areas according to your preference. You do not need to use all your options.

My needs are very limited due to my specific needs, what should I do?

If you or your household cannot choose more than one area because your housing needs are specific and complex, then the register will recognise this. You will be entitled to extra ‘time waiting’ to support your position on the register.

How is my Accessible Housing Application verified?

If you apply for accessible housing your application will be supported by an Occupational Therapist through a Future Housing Needs Assessment to confirm what type of housing, you or your household require. The type of housing on offer is:

• Full Wheelchair
• Part Wheelchair
• Lifetime Homes
• Step Free
• Maximum Three steps internal/external
• Specific Adaptation

What is ‘time waiting’?

‘Time waiting’ is the period of time you have been registered on the Ceredigion Common housing register. This starts from the ‘effective date’ when your application has been accepted and is active on the Register. Time waiting is important as allocations will be made to applicants in date order.

What can change my effective date?

• Moving from Band F to your original band as a result of a change of circumstance (e.g. refusal of a reasonable offer of accommodation) your effective date will begin again from the date of the change.

Can I get information about other housing opportunities?

Yes, by completing your details online our system can look at the answers you have given and will produce an individual housing options report for you.

What type of information can I expect?

This could include details on how to access private accommodation in Ceredigion, affordable housing options and access to an ‘Older persons’ waiting list and an ‘accessible’ waiting list for applicants who require purpose-built accommodation or who need specific requirements due to disability

Can my pets be rehoused with me? 

In the majority of cases Housing Associations will let you have pets in your new home however on occasions this may not be possible, depending on the property type. Please make sure the details of your pets are included in your application as this may affect the type of property you may be able to access.