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Social Rented Housing: Waiting Lists

Asked by Lee AndersonReform UKMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 4 April 2025UIN 41983

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to prioritise disabled people on waiting lists for social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

Local authorities are responsible for designing and managing their own housing allocations policies to meet local need but have to do so within the legislative framework set by government.

As part of this, they are required to ensure they give ‘reasonable preference’ (priority) to people for medical or welfare reasons, which includes a physical or learning disability.

Allocations guidance also encourages local authorities to give additional preference to people who need to move urgently because of a sudden disability. Social housing allocations guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

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