Overcrowded households to be prioritised for social housing in Rochdale

This is because Rochdale Council believes it is unlikely that the households in the Heritage Band will ever be allocated a social home and will contact them with alternative housing options. 

The allocation system will also have a new emergency band that will take priority over Band 1. The council expects this to have around 50 applicants, including young people in care, households at risk of significant danger and foster carers who urgently need to move.

Additionally, the council will enforce a new residency criteria, so that only applicants who have lived in Rochdale for two years will be accepted on to the register. This excludes people fleeing domestic abuse, UK Armed Forces and young people in care.

Danny Meredith, portfolio holder for regeneration and housing at Rochdale Council, said: “With thousands of people in our borough needing a home and only around 15 properties becoming available each week, it’s vital that we target our resources as effectively as possible so we can better support those who are most in need.

“These proposals, which have been put together following independent expert legal advice and extensive public consultation, will create a fairer and more transparent system which will target those who need our help the most and will generally be more tailored to the needs of the individual or household concerned.

“This policy will also allow us to explore the many other options available to those who do not have a priority need for social housing, rather than allowing them to languish on the housing register for years with little prospect of ever getting a social property – an approach which we don’t think is fair or appropriate.”

The ‘Working Xtra’ priority will be scrapped under the new system. This was a programme piloted in Greater Manchester boroughs, including Oldham and Rochdale, which prioritised social housing applicants with jobs.

But the council has “concerns around indirect discrimination against those households who find it harder to work due to caring responsibilities or disability”.

In a separate report outlining Rochdale’s development, the council has allocated a capital budget of £4.8m for the first two years of the programme (2026-28) for new homes and is working towards a cumulative budget of £25m over five years. 

This funding will come from switching capital schemes, borrowing, external grants and partnerships. The council is still exploring sites and feasibility, so is yet to set a goal of how many home will be delivered from this funding.