Register for social housing

New housing allocation policy

From 1 April 2022 Wokingham Borough Council has a new Housing Allocation Policy. Our new policy ensures that we prioritise applicants so that available housing is let to those most in need and ensures that we make best use of the housing stock available. Our new policy will also ensure that we reduce homelessness, rough sleeping, and overcrowding, support sustainable communities, support regeneration decants, support move-on and assist independence.

For more details read the Wokingham Borough Council Housing Allocations Policy (PDF document).

For more details about the Housing Allocation Banding system, please visit the Banding System page.

Who can join the Housing Needs Register?

In order to join the Council’s Housing Register an applicant must have a local connection with Wokingham Borough. This means that they must have been resident in the borough for five consecutive years or more, immediately prior to the date of application and that they are still resident in the borough at the point they receive an offer of accommodation.

We measure five years up to the date of the application. Qualification can be that the applicant meets the five-year residency rule or a member of their household does. Evidence will be required to show that the local connection test has been met.

For more details about exceptions to the local connection test read the Wokingham Borough Council Housing Allocations Policy (PDF document).

Register for housing online

You can join our housing register and update your details online using the Housing Online website.

Housing online performs best with the following mobile devices: Android, iPhone 8 and above, and iPad IOS 12 and above.

Apply for housing online

Medical Priority 

An applicant can apply for re-housing on medical grounds by completing an additional medical application and providing supporting documentation. A decision will normally be made as to whether to award medical priority based upon the information provided but in some cases an opinion will be obtained from an Independent Medical Advisor or occupational Therapist. 

To request a medical priority application form, please contact hnmedicals@wokingham.gov.uk 

For further guidance on how the Council will assess medical priority read the Wokingham Borough Council Housing Allocations Policy (PDF document).

Social Priority

An applicant can apply for Social Priority if their household is experiencing hardship due to social factors. There are two levels of priority:

Social Priority A: is reserved for exceptional cases where the applicant needs to move due to severe harassment, severe violence or severe disrepair which is of a life-threatening nature. 

If Social A is awarded, the applicant will be placed in Band One.

Social Priority B: is awarded where the applicant needs to move urgently for other social reasons, for instance:

• The applicant or a member of their household is subject to persistent harassment which is of a serious but not life-threatening nature
• In order to give or receive care or support. 
• Child protection reasons

If Social Priority B is awarded, the applicant is placed in Band Three (unless their general housing need places them already in a higher band).

Social Priority requests should be made in writing to housing.needs@wokingham.gov.uk For further guidance on how the Council will assess and award social priority read the Wokingham Borough Council Housing Allocations Policy (PDF document).