The Housing Register (Home Choice Plus) will be closed from 17th August 2026 to allow the Council to implement the new Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice Housing Register and Allocations Scheme (Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice).

This will help ensure applications are assessed consistently under the new arrangements and support a smooth transition to the new system, while ensuring homes continue to be allocated fairly, transparently and in accordance with legal requirements.

The current Home Choice Plus Housing Register will close to new applications after 17th August 2026.

This means that only applications received by 11:59pm on 17th August 2026 will be processed and assessed under these interim arrangements.

The temporary closure will allow the Council to:

• Implement the new Housing Register and Allocations Scheme.
• Ensure applications are assessed fairly and consistently under the new scheme.
• Minimise disruption for applicants and housing association partners.

Your application can still be assessed during the transition period.

If the Council has requested further information or supporting evidence, you must provide this within the required timescales. Once your application has been verified, assessed and activated, it can be considered for nominations and allocations during the transition period.

No. The Housing Register will be closed to new applications during this period.

However, if you are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or have exceptional circumstances, please contact the Council as soon as possible.

Yes.

The temporary closure of the Housing Register does not affect the Council's homelessness duties. If you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, you should contact the Council's Homeless Service immediately for advice and assistance.

Yes.

In exceptional circumstances, the Council may accept and assess an application during the closure period where there is:

• An urgent housing need.
• An urgent medical need.
• An urgent welfare need.
• Safeguarding concerns.
• Homelessness or threatened homelessness.

Any decision to accept an application during the closure period must be authorised by the Housing Advice Manager or another nominated officer.

The new Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice system will open on:

15th September 2026

From this date, applications will be registered and assessed. However, properties will not be advertised through the new scheme until the first bidding cycle commences on 27th October 2026.

Yes.

Existing applications will not automatically transfer to Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice. All existing applicants must submit a new application and all relevant supporting evidence through Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice so that their housing circumstances can be reassessed under the new Allocations Scheme.

Existing applicants will have six weeks to submit a new application.

The transitional reapplication period runs from:

15th September 2026 to 27th October 2026

The Council will reassess your application under the new Allocations Scheme.

If you are awarded the same band or a lower band, you will normally retain your existing band start date or application date.

If you are awarded a higher band because of a change in circumstances, your band start date will normally be the date the Council received the information supporting the change.

Applicants who reapply after 27th October 2026 will not normally retain their previous application date or band start date.

They will normally be treated as a new applicant for allocation purposes.

Applications submitted after the six-week period will not normally be backdated.

No.

From 15th September 2026, Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice will only be open for applications and reassessments.

Property advertising and bidding on the new system will not begin until 27th October 2026.

Yes.

The Council will continue to advertise available properties through Home Choice Plus during the transition period to maximise letting opportunities.

The final Home Choice Plus bidding cycle will run for two weeks:

29th September 2026 to 12th October 2026

Applicants can bid in the usual way during this period.

The Council will create shortlists from bids received during the final bidding cycle and continue making nominations from those shortlists during the implementation period.

This will allow properties advertised before the transition to continue being allocated without delay.

Yes.

There will be a two-week period from:

13th October 2026 to 26th October 2026

During this time no properties will be advertised through either system.

Most properties will be allocated using shortlists created during the final Home Choice Plus bidding cycle.

Where necessary, the Council may use exceptional direct matching arrangements.

Direct matching is when the Council allocates or nominates a suitable applicant for a property without advertising the vacancy through the normal Choice Based Lettings process.

Direct matching will only be considered in exceptional circumstances where:

• A property becomes available during the non-advertising period and must be let urgently.
• There is an urgent homelessness need.
• There are urgent safeguarding concerns.
• There is an urgent management requirement.
• Delaying the let would create significant operational difficulties.

Any direct match will:

• Be authorised by a senior officer.
• Be recorded with the reasons for the decision.
• Take account of the applicant's housing need.
• Take account of the Council's allocation policy.
• Consider the suitability of the available accommodation.

The first bidding cycle on Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice will commence on:

27th October 2026

The Council is working closely with Registered Providers to ensure that as many suitable vacancies as possible are advertised through Home Choice Plus before the new system becomes fully operational.

The Council will provide information and updates through its normal communication channels, including its website and housing service communications.

No.

Any allocation, nomination or offer made under the current Home Choice Plus arrangements will continue to be dealt with in accordance with the existing Allocations Policy and procedures that applied at the time the property was advertised.

The introduction of Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice and the commencement of the new Allocations Scheme will not affect allocations already made or offers already issued.

Yes.

Any bids placed through Home Choice Plus during the final bidding cycle will continue to be considered after the cycle closes.

The Council will create shortlists from all valid bids received and will continue making nominations and allocations from those shortlists during the implementation period.

No.

The Council has put transitional arrangements in place to ensure that applicants who have already bid on properties, been shortlisted, received nominations, or been offered accommodation are not disadvantaged by the introduction of the new Housing Register and Allocations Scheme.

Yes, this can be the case.

There are significantly more people on the Housing Register in Stratford-on-Avon District than there are social housing properties available.

Waiting times vary depending on:

• Your housing need and priority band.
• The type and size of property you require.
• The areas where you choose to bid.
• The availability of suitable vacancies.
• The number of other applicants with equal or higher priority.

Because demand for social housing substantially exceeds supply, some applicants may wait for a considerable period before receiving an offer and some applicants may never be offered social housing.

Being accepted onto the Housing Register does not guarantee that you will be rehoused.

It is possible.

When Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice opens, all existing applicants will be required to submit a new application so that their circumstances can be reassessed under the new Allocations Scheme.

As a result of the reassessment, your application may be placed in a higher band, lower band or remain in the same band, depending on how your circumstances meet the new criteria.

If you are awarded the same band or a lower band and you reapply within the transitional period, you will normally retain your existing band start date or application date.

Not necessarily.

All applicants will be reassessed against the qualification and eligibility criteria contained within the new Allocations Scheme.

Some applicants who currently qualify may no longer qualify under the new arrangements, depending on their individual circumstances and how they meet the revised criteria.

Applicants who do not qualify will be notified of the Council's decision and advised of any review rights that may apply.

No.

The new Allocations Scheme will continue to operate alongside any Section 106 (S106) planning obligations that apply to particular properties or developments.

Some homes are subject to local connection restrictions designed to ensure that affordable housing is provided for people with a connection to a specified parish or local area.

Where these restrictions apply, the Council must nominate applicants in accordance with the S106 requirements.

No. Local connection requirements linked to specific villages, parishes or areas within Stratford-on-Avon District will continue to apply where they form part of a legal Section 106 (S106) agreement.

These agreements help ensure that affordable housing benefits people with a local connection to the community where the homes are located.

The new Allocations Scheme will not change these property-specific requirements.

It is important to note that these arrangements are separate from the Housing Register qualification criteria, which set out the types of local connection an applicant may need to Stratford-on-Avon District, such as residence, employment or close family links, together with any applicable exemptions.

You can apply now.

If you wish to join the Housing Register, you should submit your application before the current Home Choice Plus Housing Register closes to new applications at 11:59pm on 17th August 2026.

Applications received before this date will be assessed in accordance with the current Allocations Policy and may be considered for available housing opportunities during the transition period.

Please note that all existing applicants will be required to submit a new application and any supporting evidence once Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice opens.

You must continue to report any changes in your circumstances as usual.

Until the new Allocations Scheme is implemented, the Council will continue to assess applications and changes in circumstances in accordance with the current Home Choice Plus Allocations Policy.

If your housing, medical, welfare, household or other relevant circumstances change, you should notify the Council as soon as possible and provide any supporting information requested.

The Council is committed to supporting applicants throughout the transition to Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice.

We recognise that some applicants may be concerned about completing a new application or may need additional assistance because of age, disability, health needs, digital access issues, language barriers, literacy needs or other vulnerabilities.

The Council will make support available to help applicants understand the new arrangements and complete their applications where necessary. Details of the support available, including how to access assistance, will be published before Stratford-on-Avon Home Choice opens on 15th September 2026.

The Council is committed to ensuring that applicants are not disadvantaged because they need help accessing or using the new system.