Step 1: Introduction to council housing
Things to consider before you apply
We advertise more than 500 council housing properties each year. Demand for these homes is very high, so it is important to understand your options and likely waiting times before you apply.
Before you apply
Before you can bid for available properties, you must:
Demand for council housing
Demand for council housing is extremely high.
Even if no new applications were received, it would take many years to house everyone currently on the housing register.
Before applying, you should also explore other housing options.
Waiting times for council housing
It is difficult to predict how long you will wait for social housing.
We use a choice-based lettings system. This means you can bid for available properties, and we cannot predict in advance which homes people will bid on.
Based on current demand and the number of people on the housing register, the estimated waiting time for one to three-bedroom properties is more than six years where there are no bidding restrictions.
Waiting times for properties with four or more bedrooms are usually longer because there is a shortage of larger homes.
Please note: waiting times are estimates and may change as demand and property availability change.