SOCIAL RENTED HOUSING: EU NATIONALS
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons an EEA national exercising their right to freedom of movement as a self-sufficient person may (a) need and (b) be entitled to social housing. [151293]
Mr Prisk, Minister of State (Housing) [Holding Reply: Wednesday 17 April 2013]: There is no entitlement to social housing.
European Economic Area nationals who have a right to reside in the UK on the basis that they are self-sufficient are eligible for social housing, if they are habitually resident in the Common Travel Area (the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland). To be considered self-sufficient, a person must have (i) sufficient resources not to become a burden on the social assistance system of the UK and (ii) comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the UK.
To be allocated social housing an eligible applicant must also meet the local authority’s own qualification criteria and have sufficient priority under the local authority’s allocation scheme.
An allocation scheme must be framed to ensure that certain categories of people are given ‘reasonable preference’ for social housing, because they have an identified housing need, including people who are homeless, overcrowded households, and people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds.
The Government wants to tackle the widespread perception that the way social housing is allocated is unfair and favours foreign migrants over local people and the armed forces.
In 2010/11, one in six existing social housing tenants in London were not British or Irish nationals and, across England in 2011/12, almost one in ten social lettings made to tenants new to social housing were to non-United Kingdom nationals.
That is why we have announced our intention to introduce new statutory guidance to ensure that local authorities amend their allocation policies so that only those with a well-established local residency and local connections are able to go on the waiting list and qualify for a taxpayer-funded social home. Councils will be required to make exceptions to support members of the armed forces who apply for housing, who may not have established local residency due to the nature of their work.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-new-housing-rules-to-control-im...)