The council considers affordable housing for local people to be "housing provided at below market prices and allocated on the basis of need, to people who live or work in Herefordshire or need to move to Herefordshire to receive/provide support and who are unable to purchase or rent houses generally available on the open market without financial assistance, "as their only home".  Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices and demonstrating that you have a genuine need for rehousing.

Affordable housing can include properties to rent or buy.

Herefordshire Council do not own or manage any homes, having carried out a transfer of its entire housing stock to Herefordshire Housing Ltd in 2001. All social housing in the county is therefore owned and managed by housing associations operating in the county.

The main housing associations that own stock in Herefordshire are:

If you would like to apply to register for housing in Herefordshire, please visit the Home Point website to complete an online application.

RENTED

Social Rented:- rented housing usually owned and managed by housing associations, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime.

Affordable Rented: Rented housing usually owned and managed by housing associations BUT not subject to the national rent regime but is subject to other rent controls. This requires a rent of no more than 80% of the open market rent (including service charges, where applicable).

Intermediate: Homes for purchase and rent provided at a cost above social rent, but below market levels subject. These can include homes for Shared Ownership, Low Cost Market and Intermediate Rental, but not affordable rented housing.

Who is Eligible

Affordable/Social Housing for rent is allocated to those that need it most as outlined in the Housing Allocation Policy for Herefordshire.  The policy includes criteria on who can register and how the needs are assessed.  

In Herefordshire a 'band' scheme is operated to help assess the priority in which households are considered for social housing in Herefordshire. Bands are awarded based on housing circumstances and housing needs.