There are 6,839 people on Dorset Council’s housing register with around 500 new applicants joining every month and those residents in greatest housing need are being urged to have their say on how social housing and affordable homes are allocated.
Dorset Council has launched a 12-week consultation to examine how people are prioritised for the housing register.
And all responses received will help shape the council’s next housing allocations policy.
Gill Taylor, Cabinet member for Health and Housing said: “Allocating social housing, when it’s in short supply is one of the most important roles we have as a council.
“That’s why it’s essential we update our allocation policy every five years, so it reflects the needs of residents today.
The feedback we get will help to create a fair and transparent policy, which affects some of our most vulnerable residents, so I’d encourage everyone to voice their opinions.”
A new housing allocation policy will have to factor in local need alongside national regulations and guidance.
Changes being proposed include renaming and updating the current banding system and reducing the number of categories under each band.
This would see four new categories created called ‘urgent housing need’, ‘priority housing need’, ‘unmet housing need’ and ‘other housing need.’
Another proposal looks at the local connection rules – specifically, how people are linked to the Dorset Council area.
This would see a reduction in the number of years required for residency and family connection, with a slight increase under the employment criteria.
These changes aim to simplify the application process while reducing the burden of providing evidence.
The consultation is open to everyone and is not limited to the nearly 7,000 people on the register.
Local organisations that have a view on affordable housing are also urged to have their say.
Following the consultation, a draft policy will be sent to a meeting of the Full Council for sign off. The new policy will cover the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.
To take part, visit the website at https://consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/c-e/hac/ or complete paper copies at a local library. The consultation ends at midnight on 24 August 2025.
