Two-year job rule for council house in Westminster

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Local Government

Westminster Council is planning to prioritise those that have been in work for more than two years when it allocates council housing in a bid to "discourage" a benefits culture.

The plans laid out by the council will also reward those actively seeking work and those who have a sustained link to the area.

Residents are given priority according to need including factors such as young children, homelessness and those that need special medical attentions. In some cases minus points are also given for all adult households.

Now priority will be given to families or individuals where the main applicant has been in employment under a written contract for at least two years. Those with temporary contracts must prove they have been employed continuously with no more than one month's gap between contracts.

Alternatively those who have been actively seeking work for the same level of time will also be eligible for the extra points. In this case the main applicant must have been actively engaged with the borough's Homelessness Employment Learning Project.

The scheme will give extra priority to applicants who have strong links to the city, having lived in Westminster continuously for 10 years. The applicant must produce birth certificates, tenancy agreement and council tax records in order to prove this and receive the points.

The changes will be applied to applications made from 30 January 2012.

Westminster Council's cabinet member for housing and corporate property, Councillor Jonathan Glanz said: "The council is faced with a substantial demand for an insufficient supply of housing within the city of Westminster. These changes ensure that not only do we prioritise the most vulnerable including those living in overcrowded properties and those with medical needs, but we also reward those who are doing their best not to be dependent on the state by working or actively seeking work. The aim is that by successfully housing these people they may be able to move out of council properties, freeing up more of our stock for other people who need it."