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Leicester Council’s social housing changes may prejudice new migrants’ chances of getting a council home (8 June 2015)

Date: 08/06/2015
Duncan Lewis, Immigration Solicitors, Leicester Council’s social housing changes may prejudice new migrants’ chances of getting a council home

Changes in the allocation of council housing in Leicestershire have prompted some opponents to claim the plans will disadvantage new migrants to the city.

The Leicester Mercury reports that Leicester City Council is to “adjust” criteria for getting on its housing register “to give more emphasis to those with a strong connection to the city”.

The register currently has 9,460 people waiting to be housed by the council – and currently those applying for social housing in Leicester have to prove that they have been living in the city for 12 months.

Under the new criteria, applicants for social housing will have to prove they have been living in Leicester for two years.

Currently, applicants also have to prove they have had an offer of employment in Leicester for at least 12 months – under the plans, social housing tenants will have to have been employed in Leicester for at least a year.

New migrants to Leicester will as a result not be able to join the housing register for two years – although the rules will not apply to asylum seekers and those over the age of 55, or people escaping domestic violence.

Leicester City Council has said that the changes in criteria for social housing in the city are to ensure that council homes go to the most deserving candidates with a long-standing tie to the city.

People with capital assets of £55,000 or more will not be eligible for council housing – and nether will single people with an income of more than £25,000 or couples with a joint income of more than £40,000.

People who own their own homes will not be eligible for council housing, either.

Assistant mayor for housing, Councillor Andy Connelly said:
“The aim is to make sure social housing goes to the people who genuinely need and deserve it.

“We could have said we are happy with the policy we have, got but we are going to make some changes."

“It will affect new arrivals like immigrants – if they are looking for accommodation, it will have to be in the private sector to start with.”

The Leicester Race Equality Centre has said, however, that the changes will “cause indirect discrimination on the grounds of national origin.”

Some councillors in Leicester have also suggested that the changes to eligibility criteria for the social housing register appear to be “a draconian way of getting people off the housing register”.

Cllr Connelly said:

“It probably will mean there will be fewer people on it – but we won't be throwing anyone off the list.”

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