Housing Register Bands

Housing need is prioritised in the scheme and are called reasonable preference bands. There are 4 bands ranked in order of priority:

• Band A – Exceptional Housing Need

• Band B – High Housing Need

• Band C – Medium Housing Need

• Band D – Low Housing Need

How housing needs are ranked

The following list shows where different housing needs are ranked:

Band A - Exceptional Housing Need

• exceptional housing need that takes priority over other applicants
• Statutory Homeless and owed the full Housing Duty by Dorset Council s193 (2)
• exceptional disrepair need
• exceptional medical need
• urgent welfare need
• Statutory Overcrowding Part X Housing Act 1985

Band B - High Housing Need

• owed a relief duty under s189B (2)
• under occupying social housing 
• overcrowded by 2 or more bedrooms
• corporate parenting responsibility
• proven social need/support delivery of another service
• severe and/or persistent harassment
• high disrepair need 
• social tenant living in adapted property
• high medical need
• social tenant requiring extensive adaptations
• corporate duty
• supported housing and ready to move on
• efficient management of housing stock 
• owed a relief duty under s189B (2) with no local connection
• high welfare need

Band C – Medium Housing Need

• owed a Prevention Duty under s195 (2)
• homeless households
• medium medical need
• medium disrepair need
• accommodation duty following deliberate and unreasonable refusal to cooperate (S193c(4)) duty owed
• social tenant with right to move for work 
• split families
• medium welfare need
• owed a Prevention Duty under s195 (2) with no local connection
• need to move for critical/essential support to avoid hardship
• unsatisfactory or unsanitary conditions
• overcrowded by 1 bedroom
• affordability
• service personnel

Band D – Low Housing Need

• low housing need
• low medical need
• low disrepair need
• older people’s housing
• older peoples housing no local connection
• supported housing or care leaver not ready to move on
• low welfare need
• applicants with other housing related debts