Register for social housing

There are limited social homes to rent within Lichfield District.

Because of this, our housing allocation scheme has been designed to give priority to applicants in the greatest level of housing need and to make the best use of the social homes available. 

Not all applicants are eligible to join the register and this will depend on your circumstances.

If you are eligible for social housing in Lichfield District you will be given a priority banding and will be able to bid on properties on the Lichfield District Homes register.

Your priority banding will affect how your bids on properties are shortlisted.

We have put together this quick guide to help you work out if you could be eligible based on your circumstances. The list below is not exhaustive, but is designed to give you a quick guide to the things we look at when determining whether someone is eligible or not.

You may be eligible if you can answer yes to the three statements below:

1. You are a British citizen – check if you’re a British citizen 

2. You are 18 or over.

3. You have a local connection.

You could have a local connection if:

• You have lived in Lichfield District for the last two years – you will need to provide evidence.
• You have lived in Lichfield District for three out of the last five years (does not need to be continuous) – you will need to provide evidence.
• You have a close adult relative (mother, father, adult children, brother or sister) you are in regular contact with, and who currently lives in Lichfield District, and can evidence they have done so for the last five years. You will need to provide evidence of the relationship and their district address - for example if it's your mother you will need to provide your mother's ID, your birth certificate and evidence of your mother's address.
• You have been employed in Lichfield District, either on a permanent or temporary contract running for at least six months, and you are still in local employment of 16 hours or more per week – you will need to provide evidence.
• You are a care leaver under the age of 21 and the local authority that owes you the leaving care duty is Staffordshire County Council.
• You are a care leaver under the age of 21 who has lived in Lichfield District for at least two years, including some time before you turned 16, and the local authority that owes you the leaving care duty is not Staffordshire County Council.

You may also have a local connection if:

• You are fleeing domestic abuse and cannot return to any area where you have a local connection.
• You are fleeing because of violence against you, or the threat of violence, and cannot return to any area where you have a local connection - we may ask for evidence from the police to support this.
• You have other special exceptional circumstances.

Examples of special exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to: 

• You have a child at a specialist school in Lichfield District and the care the school provides is only available in Lichfield District.  
• You are having medical treatment for a life limiting condition and the treatment is only available in Lichfield District. 

Special circumstances do not include: 

• You have shared custody of a dependent child – where one parent lives in the district and the other doesn’t. 
• You have friends living in the district.
• You are a member of a sports club in the district.   
• You like the district more than the area you are currently resident in.

You will not be eligible to join the register if:

• You, or any member of your household has housing related debt over £200 (arrears, repairs charges, service charges etc), unless you have a repayment plan in place and can show you have been making payments for more than six months.
• If you are a household with children and your combined household income is more than £60,000 per year (not including non-dependants’ income).
• If you are a single person, or a couple with no children, and your combined household income is more than £45,000 per year.
• You have savings or assets over £16,000, unless they are as a result of Armed Forces compensation, or you are looking to move into specialist housing for over 50s.

If you are eligible, or if you are unsure after reading our guide, the best way to find out is to complete the Lichfield District Homes online application process. 

If you are not eligible, find out about private rented accommodation or find out about housing associations that let homes direct in the district.