Key worker housing

What is key worker housing?

Key worker housing is a type of affordable rent that provides a more financially accessible option for key workers living and working in the Borough.

Each year a number of these properties can be made available through housing associations and other local housing companies to provide a rental option for key workers. Rent at these properties will typically sit at 80 percent or below of local market rates.

Who qualifies as a key worker?

A key worker is a public sector employee who is considered to provide an essential service. Key workers can include any of the following:

• Clinical National Health Service staff (except doctors and dentists)
• Teachers and nursery nurses
• Police officers, Community Support Officers and some civilian police staff
• Prison officers and some other Prison staff
• Probation Service staff
• Professional Carers
• Social workers, educational psychologists, carers and therapists
• Local Authority Planners
• Firefighters
• Connexions Personal Advisers
• Some Ministry of Defence personnel
• Environmental Health Officer
• Highway Agency Traffic Officers
• Support staff without whom the above roles may struggle to function
  
   

In addition, the definition is sometimes extended to include those support staff without whom the above roles may struggle to function.

Apply for key worker housing

To apply for key worker housing in Wokingham, register your details with the Housing Needs team on the register for council housing page. 

Who can apply?

Anyone who lives or works in Wokingham Borough and fulfils the above criteria for essential key workers and is in receipt or is in receipt of an income of up to and including £35,111 and provides an essential service to the local economy may qualify for key worker housing. This wage cap will be reviewed and published annually on the 1st April. The essential criteria may differ slightly dependent on the key worker scheme. Note the income relates to per person not per household.