How to apply for social housing (including adapted housing)

Social housing is housing owned by a Registered Housing Provider (or in other words a Housing Association) or the council, which has a lower rent set by a government calculation.

Salford’s Housing Register is called Salford Home Search.

The law decides who is allowed social housing and only households with a housing need (who do not already have suitable housing) will be allowed to register.

Registered Housing Providers advertise their available properties on the register, so that applicants can place a bid (or express interest) on the property and be short listed for it.

Who is allowed to register on Salford Home Search?

To register on Salford Home Search you need to be:

• 16 years of age and over, but the application will be suspended until the person becomes 18
• Have a right to live in the United Kingdom and not be under immigration control
• Have a local connection, which can include:
  
  • Living in Salford, in settled accommodation, for the previous 2 years prior to application, or
  • Have a permanent contract of employment for the previous 6 months prior to application, to work in Salford (this does not include working from home, but does include full/part time, zero hour contract or self-employed), or
  • Have a parent, brother/sister or adult child living in Salford, in settled accommodation for a minimum 5 years prior to application, or
  • Former asylum seekers if they were granted leave to remain while they were living in accommodation in Salford, provided under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996
  • Other special circumstances, such as:
    
    • Fleeing violence or the threat of violence and the council owes them a homelessness duty
    • Those who need to move to Salford to give or receive care and support, or
    • Former/members of the armed forces who are in housing need.

    How does it work?

    You fill in an online application form on Salford Home Search.

    You need to provide the following information which is required before your application is accepted:

    • Two forms of identification one of which should include a photograph (for example, a passport or driving licence. If this is not available, speak with a member of staff), and
    • Proof of residence at current address, and
    • Identification and proof of address for all household members included on the application, and
    • A reference from current or previous landlord or mortgage company, and
    • Proof of status in this country ie UK national or leave to remain etc, and
    • Confirmation of employment where applicable, and
    • Child benefit award letter for person who is registering an application

    If you meet the conditions described above, and you are assessed as being in housing need, your application will be placed in one of 3 categories:

    • General Housing Needs
    • Accessible Accommodation – you will need to complete the medical section on Salford Home Search to be assessed for Accessible or Adapted housing and placed in this category
    • Full Duty Statutory Homeless – only people who have been given a main statutory duty under homelessness law can be placed in this category

    Once your application has been accepted, you will be assessed for priority points, if your application has been placed in the General Needs or Accessible Accommodation category. You may get priority points if you are:

    • In an insecure tenancy
    • Need to move due to non-physical health needs
    • Need to move to give or receive care and support
    • Under occupying in your current home
    • Overcrowded in your current home
    • You are a child leaving care where Salford is the corporate parent
    • Threatened with homeless and have a Prevention Duty as part of your homeless application
    • Homeless and have a Relief Duty as part of your homeless application
    • Ready to move on from supported housing
    • An approved Foster Carer and need to move to facilitate the foster caring role
    • A serving or previous member of the armed forces
    • A bereaved, divorced or separated spouse/civil partner of service personnel who needs to move out of accommodation provided by the ministry of defence
    • Management points awarded in exceptional circumstances

    Priority points are not awarded for main duty statutory homeless category applications.

    You should only place a bid (or expression of interest) on a property that is advertised in your category, that meets the needs of your household.

    Bidders for each property will be prioritised in the following way:

    General needs category:

    • General needs category bidders will be given priority for properties advertised in this category
    • Those applicants who need the number of bedrooms advertised will then be prioritised
    • Those with the highest number of points will then be prioritised
    • Those who have been registered the longest will then be prioritised

    Accessible accommodation category:

    • Only applicants who have been assessed as needing adapted/accessible housing will be placed into this category, and you can only bid on the type of property that you have been assessed as needing:
      • Wheelchair adapted accommodation – SN1,
      • Level access accommodation with no steps – SN2,
      • Accommodation on one level with no more than a few steps – SN3.

      Full duty statutory homelessness category:

      • Applicants who are allocated this category will be prioritised for properties advertised in this category
      • Those applicants who need the number of bedrooms advertised will then be prioritised
      • These cases are then prioritised based on their full duty homelessness decision date

      (points are not allocated in this category)

      Mutual exchange

      If you are renting from a housing association and wish to move you may also be considered for a mutual exchange, where two tenants swap their homes with each other. For more information, please contact your landlord directly.

      Important contacts

      This page was last updated on 13 August 2024