We use a banding scheme to prioritise applications for housing.
There are currently five bands representing different levels of need, different degrees of urgency, and the reduced preference given to certain applications.
The bands include both new applicants placed on the Housing Register and current tenants seeking a transfer. The bandings and the circumstances that currently fall within each are as follows.
- People whose homes the Council is planning to demolish or put to a different use
- People who are tenants of a family house in the borough, owned by the Council or a housing association, and who will be moving to a one bedroom flat or one bedroom bungalow
- People who have to leave a Council tenancy following the death of the tenant subject to certain conditions
- People giving up a joint tenancy of a Council or housing association rented property following a relationship breakdown, for the person with full time care of the children to remain there
- People giving up two Council or housing association rented properties in the borough, for one property of similar or lower demand
- People who are ready to move on from supported housing that is subject to Dudley’s Move On Protocol or to be discharged from hospital subject to a change of accommodation
- People who have a disability and whose homes cannot reasonably be adapted to meet their needs including members of the Armed Forces and former members, including reservists, injured in active service
- Members of the Armed Forces and former members, including reservists, who are entitled to additional preference under SI 2012 No 2989
- People the Council has accepted as unintentionally homeless and in priority need from a settled address within the borough – this need will be awarded band 2 for one month and can only be extended if it was not possible for the need to be met in that time
- People who are severely overcrowded (lacking two or more bedrooms)
- Families who are approved as foster or adoptive parents for Dudley children and need an extra bedroom to accommodate the child(ren) placed by the Council
- Sole parents leaving prison who need accommodation in order to be reunited with their children
- People who need to move urgently from a rented home with a serious hazard that cannot be repaired as confirmed by Private Sector Housing
- People with urgent medical, disability, or related support needs, assessed by our Housing Occupational Therapy Team
- Dudley Council tenants with approval from their Community Housing Manager/s for an urgent management move, usually because of violence or serious risk of violence. In such cases the Allocations Team will usually bid for the customer/s as they will look to directly match them to a property
- People who have to leave a tied tenancy because their employment has ended through no fault of their own
- People with other urgent and exceptional needs not covered elsewhere including those the Council has accepted as referrals from partner agencies and urgent Right to Move cases.
People with more than one need.
- People who are homeless and have local connection but are not included in Band 2 because they are non-priority or are homeless intentionally – this need cannot be combined with other needs to create a Band 3 need, because the homelessness decision and award of Band 2 or 4 will have taken account of all relevant factors
- People with moderate medical, disability or related support needs as assessed by our Housing Occupational Therapy Team
- Tenants who are overcrowded and need one bedroom more than they have
- Tenants who have children under 18 and no garden NB This need was suspended from the 28th of July 2025
- Tenants who have children under 18 and no garden
- Lodgers with children who need up to one bedroom more than they have
- Single people over 18 and couples who are lodging and do not have their own bedroom
- People who are council or housing association tenants within the borough who have a recognised need to move and will be releasing a family home NB This need was suspended from the 28th of July 2025
- People who are council or housing association tenants within the borough who have a recognised need to move and will be releasing a family home
- People who can no longer afford to remain in their home for an unforeseen/unavoidable reason who have no other housing need
- People with other exceptional needs not covered elsewhere including those the Council has accepted as referrals from partner agencies
- Single people or couples who are lodging and have their own bedroom
- People who have a tenancy or own a property that is adequate for their needs
- People with reduced priority for example as a result of their income/capital
- People with one or more housing needs, but whose parent or last settled address is not within the borough, and who have no particular need to live here
A housing options advisor will review the information you have provided, request additional information if needed and/or arrange a visit if needed, to verify your need and the priority relevant to your application.
- Please note that priority is not awarded where your housing need could be met in your current accommodation. Where this is the case we will provide you with further advice if possible relevant to your situation.
Every situation is different; occasionally there are circumstances that are not adequately recognised in our general policy. If you feel that this applies to you please let us know when you make your application so that your circumstances can be considered and if justified a higher priority may be given.
There are a range of other housing options which you may wish to consider; for example, private renting, rent deposit scheme or shared ownership. You can find useful information about other housing options that are available.
Have you continuously lived and or worked in the Dudley Borough for the last 2 years?
If the answer is ‘Yes’ you can make an application to join the housing register at Dudley Homes.
If the answer is ‘No’ please visit our Housing allocation policy to see if any exemptions apply.