Rotherham places eligible housing register applicants into one of four bands, and the band is based on your level of housing need under the Council’s housing allocation policy. Band 1 is the highest priority and is reserved for people who need to move urgently; Bands 2, 3 and 4 cover lower levels of need.
| Band | How it’s decided / who it’s for | Key rules |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Highest band, for people who need to move urgently. It’s assessed by the housing assessment panel. | Applicants normally stay in Band 1 for three months. The panel also looks at property size, property type, stock levels, turnover, demand, and any support or educational/employment needs when deciding suitable areas. |
| Band 2 | Set according to housing need below Band 1. | Applicants can get two offers in any area of Rotherham. Homeless applicants only receive one offer. |
| Band 3 | Set according to housing need below Band 2. | Applicants can get two offers in any area of Rotherham. |
| Band 4 | Lowest band, for those with the least priority under the policy. | Applicants can get two offers in any area of Rotherham. |
A few practical points matter too: if someone in Bands 2, 3 or 4 refuses both offers, their application is cancelled and they can’t go on the register again for 12 months. If a Band 1 applicant doesn’t bid for suitable homes in the agreed areas, they can be removed from Band 1 and reassessed.