Swindon Home Bid

Policy & Bands

For information about Swindon Home Bid please click on the information guide below.

Guide for Applicants

For further information about the Council's Housing Allocation Policy please click on the Allocations Policy below.

Allocations Policy

The Council uses a banding scheme to prioritise applications.

All housing and transfer applications received for rented accommodation will be assessed and placed in one of 4 bands, A to D. The list below gives examples of those applicants who would be eligible to be placed in each band.

Band A

Urgent Need for accomodation

• Urgent medical priority - medical category A.
• Property in Swindon deemed by the Councils' Residential Service Team to be a serious hazard or statutorily overcrowded.
• Transfer applicants releasing family accommodation and requesting a non -family unit.
• Transfer applicants releasing 4 bedrooms or larger property and requesting a 1-bedroom unit.
• Transfer applicants releasing an adapted property with major adaptations which they no longer require.
• Transfer applicants releasing a 1 bedroom accommodation and requesting a move to a supported housing property.
• Urgent approvals agreed by Senior Housing Department Officers.
• Reciprocal requests agreed with other registered social housing landlord.
• Agreed move-on arrangements from supported housing accommodation.
• Swindon Borough Council staff who have to vacate tied accommodation. (subject to criterea in the Allocations Policy)

Band B

Applicants in need of accommodation

• All applicants occupying accommodation in the Swindon borough where facilities are shared with others who are not included in their housing application.
• Tenants of Swindon Borough Council, Registered Social Landlords and Private Landlords residing in Swindon, who occupy a property where they are lacking one or more bedrooms and / or are sharing facilities with others not included in the housing application.
• Applicants accepted as homeless by Swindon Borough Council.
• Special Approvals on discretionary successions.
• Gypsy & traveller applicants who reside on residential sites within the borough of Swindon.
• Tenants of Swindon Borough Council and Registered Social Landlords who are secure tenants or assured tenants where they are releasing a 3 bedroom or larger property which they are under-occupying but are still requesting a 2 bedroom property.

Band C

Applicants in low need of accomodation

• This group is for all other applicants who do not fall within Bands A, B or D.
• Applicants could be moved to Band B if there is a recognised medical / and or welfare issue relating to their current property and where there are no other alternatives available to them.

Band D

Applicants not eligible to bid at this time

• Applicants who are lone parents and under 18 years of age
• Applicants requiring support in order to maintain a tenancy
• Applicants who are owner-occupiers under 60 years of age
• Applicants in residential care or other institutions
• Applicants in Swindon Foyer
• Applicants currently in prison or serious offenders
• Applicants in Swindon Borough Council tied accommodation and still in employment
• Applicants currently in a service / other tied tenancy
• Applicants in Her Majesty's Forces and not currently being discharged

This is only a brief on the bands.  Full explanation of each band is available in Swindon Borough Council allocation policy