(Top 30)FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)- Residents impacted by the new policy
- Your letter explains how the new Housing Allocations Policy is expected to affect your housing application when it comes into effect on 11 November 2026.
- All existing households on the Housing Register are being assessed under the new policy.
- The outcome in your letter is based on the information we hold on your housing application when it was reviewed.
- Read the outcome and the actions you need to take in your letter. If the information is correct and your letter does not ask you to respond, you do not need to do anything.
- If your information is incorrect or your circumstances have changed, log in to your My Housing, update your application and provide the appropriate supporting documents.
- If your letter asks you to choose which application should remain active, you must respond by the date shown in your letter.
- If the letter is a decision to remove your application or change your band and you still disagree, you can request a review within 21 days of receiving the letter.
- Your request must be made by letter or email to the contact shown in the letter you have received. You must include evidence explaining why you believe the decision is incorrect.
- If your information is incorrect or your circumstances have changed, log in to your My Housing, update your application and provide the appropriate supporting documents
- Log in to your My Housing, update your application and provide the appropriate documents to support the change.
- We can then consider the verified information against the new policy. If your letter contains a review deadline, you must also follow the right of review instructions stated in your letter.
- Letters were produced using the current information held on your housing application.
- If the information is no longer correct, please update your application through My Housing and provide documents to verify any changes.
- No. We assessed each household under the new policy using the information held on your each of their own Housing application.
- Please refer to the instructions highlighted within your own letters as they may differ from those received by others, including family or friends.
- Our officers can explain to you your letter and the next steps, but we cannot change the outcome during a phone call conversation or if you attend to speak to one of our officers in person.
- If you require a translated copy of the letter you have received in your preferred language, please see overleaf of your letter or contact us on 01142930000.
- Only current applicants on our Housing Register that have been impacted by the changes have been sent a letter or an email. Any new applications will be considered under the new policy and may be impacted. If you have not received a letter or email and feel you should have received one, please contact us immediately.
- The new policy introduces new qualification criteria. Depending on the information held on your application, your letter may say that you do not qualify for example, because you are a homeowner or do not have a continuous three-year local connection to Sheffield.
- Please check the specific reasoning stated in your letter.
- The new policy requires at least one applicant to have a continuous three-year local connection to Sheffield. This can be through residence or employment in Sheffield, or through a qualifying immediate family member or primary carer who has lived in Sheffield for the last three years. There are some exemptions which apply.
- If your letter states none of the above apply and you disagree, you can request a review within 21 days of receiving the letter and by providing supporting evidence.
- A parent, child, including an adult child, or sibling may provide the family connection if they have lived in Sheffield continuously for the required period. A primary carer may also provide a connection. Our team will consider the information submitted.
- Our team will consider the information submitted, or if you fall under an exemption.
- You must also meet the other eligibility and qualification requirements to qualify to join our Housing Register.
- Under the new policy, a person who owns a home or residential property will not normally qualify. This can include owning outright, being named on a mortgage, or owning a share or interest in a residential property. Some exemptions apply.
- Your letter is based on the information you provided in your housing application and should explain whether an exemption was identified. If you disagree with the decision, you can request a review within 21 days.
- The criteria helps us to focus on households with fewer financial options to rent privately or buy.
- A household will not normally qualify if its combined annual gross income is £60,000 or more, or its savings or assets are £120,000 or more.
- After implementation, we will ask you to provide your household income, savings and asset details for verification when joining our Housing Register. We do not currently collect this information, so your letter cannot confirm whether you will qualify under these rules.
- We can only make a decision once the required information and evidence have been provided and verified. Some exemptions apply.
- The five current bands, A to E, are being replaced by seven bands, numbered 1 to 7.
- The bands do not directly correspond. We reviewed your housing application using the information held and your letter confirms the band you will be placed in from the 11th of November 2026.
- It may also explain if your current priority category will not apply or not under the new policy.
- No unfortunately, everyone is assessed under the new policy.
- It introduces new priority categories and some current priority categories will no longer exist, so a customer with priority now may not have priority after implementation on the 11th of November 2025.
- Band 1 is Emergency need and is the highest band.
- Band 2 is critical need.
- Band 3 is urgent need.
- Band 4 is significant need.
- Band 5 is reduced priority.
- Band 6 is general needs.
- Band 7 is reduced preference.
- Band 6 is our general needs band. This is for applicants do not have an identified housing need and have not been awarded priority under the new policy.
- Under the new policy applicants in band 6 and 7 would need to meet the annual bidding requirement. This means you must place at least one bid every 12 months to remain on our Housing Register. If you don't it may result in your application being cancelled and you could receive a 12-month disqualification from re-joining our Housing Register.
- Waiting time is important in Band 6, and properties advertised to this band will usually be allocated to the eligible person with the longest waiting time who places a bid on a property.
- Band 7 is the reduced preference band. It is for people accepted onto the Housing Register who have housing-related debt or have shown some unacceptable behaviour.
- You will remain in this band until there is a relevant change in your circumstances, debt or behaviour.
- Your current priority does not automatically transfer. Everyone is assessed under the new policy, which introduces new priority categories and does not retain every current category.
- The change does not take effect until 11 November 2026, so the letter explains what applies before then.
- No. If you remain on the Housing Register, any waiting time you have accrued will not be affected by the policy change and will be applied to your new band 6 or 7 (currently known as band D or E).
- Priority is not automatically guaranteed; we will assess your circumstances and evidence against the relevant criteria in the new policy.
- You can place up to three bids in each letting cycle for properties you are eligible for. Properties are normally advertised for seven days. If you are on priority your priority officer will support, you through the bidding process including assisted bidding.
- If you are in bands 6 or 7 (currently D or E) you will be given 12 months from their registration date to place a bid for at least one property advertised through our website, you are then then expected to place at least one bid in each 12-month period. You will be disqualified from our Housing Register for a period of 12 months if you do not bid.
- If you are on a priority will need to make sure they engage with the rehousing process and make realistic bids each week. Priority applicants will normally receive two suitable offers of social housing. If the Council owes you a homelessness duty, you will receive one offer, which may be social housing or private rented accommodation.
- If you have received a letter which gives you a right to request a review and you disagree with the decision, you must request it within 21 days of receiving the letter.
- You must send the request by letter or email to the address shown in the letter and include evidence explaining why you believe the decision is incorrect.
- If you have not done so already, we would also advise you to update your details on your My Housing account as soon as possible alongside the request for a review if this is stated in your letter.
- An officer within our service can explain your letter to you and provide details on next steps but cannot change your outcome on phone call or while providing advice and assistance to you. If you cannot use My Housing, in person Housing Advice Services can support you to update your application and provide documents.
- If you are under 18 and want to discuss your housing need, the letter you have received will directs you to the Housing Advice Service or Children’s Services.
- If you are in a priority band and would like to access more information, your priority officer can discuss your circumstances with you.
- In person at Howden House and your local Area Housing Office. Please visit Neighbourhood offices | Sheffield City Council for opening times.
- Telephone: 0114 2930000
- Contact us form: Contact us | Sheffield City Council
- Private Rented accommodation. For more information contact privaterentedsolutions@sheffield.gov.uk , or by phone on 0114 2734567 or to find out more information look at Private Rented Solutions | Sheffield City Council
- Shared Ownership. Private Registered Providers of social housing also run Shared Ownership and other low-cost housing schemes within the city. Please visit the following link: shared ownership and/or rent to buy homes in Sheffield .
- You may also wish to apply directly to some Housing Associations. While we work alongside many of these housing providers and advertise some of their properties, a few of them also advertise a proportion of their own stock directly. Home - B-with-us.
- You can visit HomeSwapper and register to find a Mutual Exchange. To explore more of these options please visit Other housing options | Sheffield City Council
- In the new policy leaving hostel priority will no longer exist. You will be assessed under the new policy to check whether you qualify for priority under another category or not.
- If you do not fall under a priority category you will be contacted by letter or email on next steps and what options are available to support, you.
- Current applicants on a hostel leavers priority can use the priority until the 11th of November 2026 by bidding on any properties they can. Any offers made as a result of these bids will be honoured, even after going live of the new policy.
- The new revised approach around bidding and choice ensures offers to applicants with bidding to find homes that meets their needs especially when an applicant or a household has an assessed housing need to move urgently.
- The change focuses on applicants placing bids themselves, with officers in the service offering support and information to allow them to make informed decisions
- If you have an assessed housing need to move urgently - your priority awards will be monitored every week and reviewed every 3 months by officers.
- The priority review happens in the initial 3 months period if you are not rehoused on priority we will take into consideration different factors to assess your bidding including any circumstances.
- Officers will provide you with advice to help you bid for suitable properties to resolve your housing need as soon as possible. This includes if you are making bids or bidding unrealistically where you have little or no chance of being offered the property.
- The new policy change focuses on officers supporting you through “assisted bidding” .
- Officers will discuss with you where you may need to compromise on their ideal choice of housing, to achieve the move that you need urgently.
- Before placing bids the officer will discuss the reasons why they are bidding on your behalf.
- When bidding officers will taken in to consideration any restrictions, property types, medical needs which is dicussed as part of the terms and conditions of your priority award.
Why have I received an impact letter?
Do I need to do anything when I receive the letter?
I do not agree with the proposed outcome. What should I do?
My circumstances have changed since the letter was sent. What should I do?
What does any day advertising mean in the new policy?
This means any available properties on our My Housing website will be advertised each day as soon as they are ready to let and for 7 days a week. This is called a cycle.
A new 7-day cycle will start each working day (Monday – Friday).
There will be up to 5 cycles per week – there may be days that there are no properties advertised.
It is important that you check our website regularly as new properties can be added on any day of the week (Monday - Friday). Applicants can place up to 3 bids on properties advertised each day.
Why does the letter not show my current circumstances?
How is a multi-viewing different from a normal viewing if I am offered a property under the new policy?
In some cases, we may allow multi-viewings for certain Council properties.
How this works:
We will contact the top five applicants who have been shortlisted for that property (subject to checks) and invite them for a viewing at the same time. When we say “that property” it will be a property you have a placed a bid on.
If you are on priority to be rehoused urgently your priority officer may have supported you to place that bid.
Applicants will be advised of their queue positions before attending a multi-viewing. The applicant that has finished first on the shortlist will be offered the property before others on the shortlist when attending the multi-viewing.
A "normal" viewing is when the property would be offered only to the first person on the shortlist (subject checks). They would then be invited to a viewing on there own.
Has every applicant on our Housing Register received the same outcome?
Can you change the proposed outcome in my letter?
What if I cannot use My Housing or need help understanding my letter?
We can explain your letter and the next steps. If you cannot use My Housing, Housing Services can support you to update your application and provide documents. If you are under 18 and want to discuss your housing need, the letter directs you to the Housing Advice Service or Children’s Services.
If you are in a priority band and need more explanation, your priority officer can discuss your circumstances with you.
How can I request a translated copy of my impact letter?
What can I do if I have not received a letter?
Why might I no longer qualify for the Housing Register?
What is the requirement for local connection?
Which family members can provide a 3-year continuous local connection?
I live outside of Sheffield. Can I still qualify?
Does being a homeowner affect my housing application?
Why will my income, savings or assets be considered under the new policy?
Why has my banding changed?
Does my current band automatically transfer to a particular new band?
What do the new bands mean?
Why have I been placed in Band 6?
Why have I been placed in Band 7?
I currently have priority, why might I not have priority under the new policy?
Will I lose my waiting time?
Will my medical condition or overcrowding automatically give me priority?
How many bids can I place?
What happens if I do not bid or if I refuse an offer under the new policy?
When can I ask for a review?
What if I cannot use My Housing or need help understanding my letter?
What are the alternative rehousing options if I want to be rehoused or access a property through social housing?
If you received a letter from us, please read the "Right to review" section of your letter if stated for further details.
If you wish to discuss your housing needs, you can contact us in the following ways:
What if I am currently in a hostel accommodation what does the new policy mean for me?
What is the new policy change around bidding and choice?
What does this new bidding change mean for me as an applicant?