Bedrooms and overcrowding
We look at who lives with you to work out how many bedrooms your household needs.
A household includes the people who normally live with you as part of your family - or anyone else who might reasonably be expected to live with you, like a carer.
Only children who live with you permanently are counted when we assess your bedroom need. We'll ask for evidence of this - such as child benefit, child tax credit, or a court or residency order.
Here's how we usually work out bedroom need:
- One bedroom for each adult or couple (aged 16 or over).
- One bedroom for two children of the same gender, aged under 16.
- One bedroom for two children aged under 10, regardless of gender.
This is more generous than the government’s allocation of accommodation guidance, which follows a stricter bedroom standard. Under the government rules:
- A separate bedroom is given to anyone aged 21 or over.
- Two children aged 10 - 20 of the same gender are expected to share.
- Two children under 10 are expected to share regardless of gender.
Our housing allocations scheme allows more flexibility by recognising the need for space earlier - giving a bedroom to young people aged 16+, and allowing children of the same gender to stop sharing a room when the eldest turns 16, not 21. This means more families qualify for extra space with us than they would under the national standard.
Your level of overcrowding will impact your banding on the housing register.
- If you are overcrowded by two or more bedrooms, you’ll be placed in the emergency band - our highest priority level.
- If you are overcrowded by one bedroom, you’ll be placed in band 1 (high priority).
What to do if you are overcrowded and waiting on the housing register
We know not all homes or family situations are straightforward, so we try to be flexible when thinking about how space is used. If you're overcrowded, we may ask you to look at alternative ways to make your current home work while you wait to move.
For example:
- You may want to consider using your sitting room or dining room as extra bedroom space.
- You may want to consider sharing a bedroom with your child(ren) – for example, sons with fathers or daughters with mothers – if this helps ease overcrowding in the short term.
Special circumstances – when extra bedrooms may be granted
We understand that sometimes more space is needed due to medical, care, or family reasons. We can allow extra bedrooms in the following situations:
- You're 24+ weeks pregnant and can afford the rent - the unborn baby may count towards your bedroom need.
- You and your partner cannot share a room due to a disability (with medical evidence).
- You have a carer who regularly stays overnight (with supporting documentation).
- Two children cannot share because of a disability (with medical and benefit evidence).
- You are a foster carer or approved to adopt and are waiting for a placement (with evidence from social services/adoption agencies).
- You share custody or have regular access to a child - in this case, we may restrict your application to flatted accommodation only, and you must show proof of the arrangement and affordability (with evidence such as child benefit, child tax credit, or a court or residency order.)
We look at each case carefully, and we’ll ask for relevant documentation (like benefit letters, medical assessments, or court orders) to support these needs.
About housing associations
The housing association landlords we work with sometimes have their own rules about what household sizes they accept for certain properties. In some cases, they may decline a nomination if they feel the property is too big or too small.
If you’re unsure what you’re entitled to or need help understanding your options, please get in touch. We’re here to help and will always do our best to find a fair and supportive solution for you and your family.
Find out how to contact us.