Members only

The government consultation on reforms to the social housing allocations and the media speculation about ‘British homes for British workers’ was a pivotal moment. It was the first significant review of allocations since the Localism Act, 2011 and the first time that many major news outlets carried stories about social housing allocation systems. If implemented,  it will result in significant changes to the eligibility and qualifications criteria. Although it is focussed on councils, it will have ramifications for housing associations through, for example, nominations agreements.

At the same time, there continues to be a string of legal judgements with major implications for allocations, as well as an increasing number of Housing Ombudsman and Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman cases involving allocations.

At the local level, councils and their partners are facing major challenges eg:

• Birmingham City Council is considering closing its waiting list
• Harlow Council has been consulting on measures that include extending the local connection rule to 10 years
• Several councils (including Crawley) have declared a housing emergency partly because of the crisis in allocations
• A number of councils (eg Leeds) are considering removing the lowest bands from their policy as households have little or no chance of being rehoused.

Our masterclass will:

• Provide an update on allocations law
• Set out the state of play on allocations following the government consultation and the continuing debate on ‘British homes for British workers’
• Look at the options for the future of the allocations system.

10.30 Welcome and introductions

• • Tim Brown, Associate, HQN

10.35 State of play on allocations policy

• • Tim Brown, Associate, HQN

11.00 Allocations law including update on case law and statutory requirements

• • Tara O’Leary, Cornerstones Barristers

12.00 Allocations and the housing emergency

• • Tim Brown, Associate, HQN

12.30 Conclusions and the future for allocations

• • Tim Brown, Associate, HQN

13.00 Close

Tim Brown, Associate, HQN

Tim has extensive knowledge of social housing allocations. He played a major role in the 1990s in the development of what is now referred to as choice-based lettings. Subsequently he has been involved in the review and evaluation of over 30 allocations schemes in the UK. He has also contributed to government research as well as co-producing good practice guides for the Chartered Institute of Housing and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. A number of governments in Western Europe have commissioned Tim to review allocations eg France, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.

He currently produces HQN’s allocations toolkit which is updated monthly.

Tara O’Leary, Cornerstones Barristers

Tara O’Leary specialises in housing, public and licensing law at Cornerstone Barristers. She is ranked in Chambers and Partners and is a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of counsel.

Tara has significant experience in all aspects of housing law at first instance and on appeal, including possession, homelessness, allocations, anti-social behaviour, discrimination, unlawful eviction and housing conditions. She regularly advises local authorities and private registered providers on the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures, including housing allocation schemes and equality impact assessments.

Tara also advises regularly on issues affecting private sector accommodation under the Housing Act 2004, including HMOs, additional and selective licensing. She has appeared at all levels of courts and tribunals up to the Court of Appeal, most recently in Hodge v Folkestone and Hythe DC [2023] EWCA Civ 896 (using supported “move on” accommodation for the homeless) and Global 100 Ltd v Jimenez [2023] EWCA Civ 1243 (premises occupied by property guardians).

Tara is joint editor of Cornerstone’s Housing Newsletter, and regularly gives training on all aspects of housing law.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.