Housing applications and choice based lettings questions and answers

Creating an application

You must have been accepted onto our housing register to be able to apply for rented properties through the council. You must meet all criteria listed in Section 2 of our Housing Allocations Policy.

Your partner or spouse will need to be added as a joint applicant when completing your council housing application.

You will need to complete an application form. To apply to join the housing register please complete an ‘Application form for Swindon Housing Register’ or online application form, by clicking on the online application form on the Apply for Council Housing webpage. If you are struggling to complete your application, request assistance from a relative, friend or guardian to help complete your application and note if you want them to be listed as a third party. You can also contact us at housing@swindon.gov.uk if you do not have anyone who can help to discuss your application for housing.

To join the housing register you will need to provide supporting documents for all household members who are to be part of this application before we can make a full assessment.

To facilitate the processing of your application, the supporting documents listed below, must be submitted to us within 28 days of this application.

You should provide copies of all of the supporting documents listed below with this application form, either online or send to housing@swindon.gov.uk quoting your housing reference number.

Please note: Further information may be requested at a later date.

  • Identification for each applicant over 18 - Passport, driving licence, resident permit or if you do not have either of these, a birth certificate with any immigrations documents
  • Identification for each applicant under 18 - Birth certificate along with child benefit and child tax credit award letters. If unable to provide, we will need to see this in a full bank statement.
  • Proof of income - Last 3 month's consecutive wage slips, contract of employment and all benefit full award letters
  • Proof of capital - Latest 3 month's full statement for all bank, building society, saving accounts and post office accounts for each applicant over 18
  • Proof of address - Tenancy agreement, license agreement or letter from current head of household. If you are no fixed abode you will need to request an NFA questionnaire and supply letters from any friends or family you stay with.
  • Landlords reference - Please provide either an up to date rent statement or a letter from your current landlord confirming you have no rent arrears or tenancy issues
  • PIP/DLA - If applicable please provide any copy of the full award letters

The main applicant must provide all proofs within the 28 days of submitting the Housing Application. If we do not receive all applicable proofs within this timescale we will cancel your application.

If you are unable to provide any of this documentation, let us know the reason why.

Due to high volume of forms, sometimes you may wait longer for a response. Look for any updates on the Apply for Council Housing webpage. Your application will be backdated to the date you submitted the application.

You will receive a letter confirming that you have been accepted onto the Housing Register. This will tell you the band you have been placed in, the date your application has been registered from and/or your accepted as homeless date, plus the size of property you are eligible for.

To register, go to the Swindon Borough Council website and register and bid for a property for the first time. Additional guidance is available in the document below:

This is your unique number used to identify your housing application. It is an 8-digit number that you will find in your letter in bold. You will be asked this when you are registering your account. We might request what your application number is if you were to call.

There are certain restrictions for customers not to be eligible to be included on the Housing Register. This can be found in Section 3 of our Housing Allocations Policy.

There are 2 priority bands:

  • Band A: Exceptional reasons for a move
  • Band B: In need of accommodation

Your application will be assessed according to your level of housing need and placed in one of 2 bands, A and B. Within each band, applications are placed in date order. Please see the Allocations Policy for further information.

It is very important that you tell us of any changes in your circumstances so that we can review your application. If you move up a band, the date used will be the date you move into that band. If you move down a band, the date used will be the date that was applied when you were previously in that band, or any earlier date when you were in a higher band. You will need to complete the Change in Circumstances form to your existing Housing Application.

Kindly contact the Lettings Customer Services Team via My Account quoting your application number. The team will then review this request in accordance to our Allocations Policy to see if this affects your Housing application and they will respond to your request.

Where accommodation has been identified for keyworkers, you must be working within the Swindon Borough area in the public sector.

Although you may have been recognised as a keyworker by the Government, you will need to match the criteria for keyworker in accordance with Swindon Borough Council Allocations Scheme

Priority groups (must be employed and working within Swindon Borough boundaries)

  • Police officers
  • Fire fighters
  • Ambulance drivers and/or paramedics
  • Nurses and/or doctors
  • Qualified occupational therapists
  • Qualified Swindon council social care workers (which can include social workers and housing officers)
  • Qualified teachers
  • Probation officers

Non-priority groups

Any defined non-priority keyworker that falls within the high rate tax bracket will not be considered to join the allocation scheme.

Non-priority keyworker must have a permanent contract and be employed and working for Swindon Borough in the public sector. The local connection criteria must be maintained for the duration of the application.

  • NHS staff other than those in the priority group
  • Police service civilian staff
  • Fire service civilian staff
  • Ministry of Defence staff
  • Prison service staff
  • Support workers in health and social care roles
  • Nursery staff
  • Teaching assistant

When properties are advertised through our website, all bids placed are discussed at a meeting with representatives from the council, Housing Association and the Learning Disability Team. Any person who bids will need to have had an up to date assessment completed regarding their housing need for this type of property. It will not always be the case that the first person at the top of the list will be shortlisted.

I have been previously barred from housing register. What can I do to reapply?

If you can demonstrate that you have maintained a tenancy, we can consider you to go back on the housing register.

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