Breckland Key Select

Scheme guide

Once assessed that you qualify for social housing, an account on Breckland Key Select will be made live for your household. During your assessment an Officer will look at your case and make a decision on a band, this will be a reflection of your housing needs. Any decision made is based on the information you have provided about your household.

Emergency Band

• Applicants accepted as unintentionally homeless and in priority need, under the Housing Act 1996
• Applicants with very urgent and serious medical needs.
• Other exceptional cases

Gold Band

• Applicants who are threatened with homelessness within 12 weeks through no fault of their own, who have been assessed as likely to be in priority need, and are engaging with the Housing Options team to prevent their homelessness from occurring.
• Applicants with a high medical need which results in the need to move urgently because the current home is not suitable and cannot be made suitable.
• Applicants occupying a property which has been assessed as posing a high health and safety risk.
• Housing Association tenants within Breckland who are assessed as have two or more bedrooms more than they need and are wanting to downsize. 
• Applicants who have been assessed as needing two more bedrooms than they currently have.
• Applicants with a high need to move due to harassment, threat of violence, or abuse.
• Young people leaving Local Authority Care where a young person has been referred as part of their pathway plan for leaving care and have been engaging with the Housing Options team at least six months prior to their 18th birthday.
• Households containing a child or young person for whom another Authority has requested assistance under the Children's Act 1989, section 27, and where a Housing Options officer considers that assistance to be appropriate.
• Applicants leaving Social  Services care or other Supported Accommodation. 

Silver Band

• Statutory homeless households.
• Housing Associations tenants who are assessed as having one more bedroom than they need and are willing to move to downsize.
• Applicants who have been assessed as needing one more bedroom than they currently have.
• Applicants who need to move on social and welfare grounds.
• Applicants who require a larger property due to being accepted as foster carers.
• Households with children under 18 years old who either don't have or share an essential facility with people outside their household or family. 
• Applicants with no identified priority need who have been verified by the Council as having no settled accommodation and are 'rough sleeping' or 'sofa surfing'.

What determines my priority date?

All applicants will be awarded a priority date. This is the date that your application to join the Breckland Housing Register is assessed and you are accepted to join.. This date will determine who is successful in being offered a property where two or more people from the same band apply for the same property.

If  a change in your circumstances results in a change of housing need and band, and you are placed into a higher band, your priority date will be the date that your application goes into a higher band. Where your application moves down in to a lower band, you will keep your initial priority date.

If you disagree with the band that your application has been placed in, you can ask for a review of the decision by a senior officer. You can request a review of the decision within 21 days of the decision date. The review will be carried out within 28 days of the appeal being received.

You will need to request a review by email (Housing.Register@breckland.gov.uk) or write to:

Housing, Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE