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How to apply for social housing

Read how to apply for social housing and what you need to make an application.

Other housing options

Homeswapper

This is the UK’s largest national home swap service helping social housing tenants to move. The service is free to register for Westminster Council tenants. There are some restrictions on swapping but importantly, you must get permission from your landlord before going ahead with a swap; if you don't, you could lose your home.

For more information or for help registering with Homeswapper you can contact your local estate office or you can register directly at Homeswapper.

Housing Moves

The Mayor of London’s housing mobility scheme that allows social housing tenants of London boroughs to move outside their existing borough to a different part of London. It is run by the Greater London Authority and most London boroughs and Registered Providers participate.

For further information you can contact your local estate office or to register directly at Housing Moves.

Homefinder UK

Delivered by Home Connections Lettings Ltd. Immediately available properties across London and the UK are offered at Homefinder and Westminster tenants and households in temporary accommodation can bid for them. 

The scheme aims to help people find a home that better matches their household size and personal and financial circumstances.

House Exchange

A part of the Circle Housing Group. Social housing tenants registered with HomeFinder UK (above) will also be able to see all of the mutual exchange opportunities available across London and the UK through House Exchange.

Seaside and Country Homes Scheme (SSCHS)

SSCHS is run by central government and available to tenants that are 60 years old or over and wish to move to a home outside of London. There are 1 and 2 bedroom properties across the country from Lincolnshire in the east all the way around the coast to Devon and Cornwall in the South West.

SSCHS can also help households to find properties in rural areas inland. For further information you can contact your local estate office or register directly at Housing Moves (follow the link to Seaside and Country Homes).

Other Affordable Housing Options

Our planning policies dictate that there should be a mixture of social housing and intermediate affordable housing opportunities provided in the City.

Therefore, a proportion of new affordable housing will be priced above social housing but below market level (known as intermediate housing) and includes such products as sub-market rented housing and low cost home ownership.

For more information please visit Home Ownership Westminster

Published: 8 January 2021

Last updated: 8 January 2021