The Council will assess your application and you will be placed in one of the 5 bands described below or you may be issued with an Emergency Card. For more information on the banding scheme, see a copy of the North Norfolk District Council Choice Based Lettings Policy, which is available from www.yourchoiceyourhome.org.uk or from the Housing Options Team of the Council.

Emergency Card
The Emergency Card will only be issued to applicants in urgent housing need who need to move immediately or within a period of 6 weeks. Examples of when the Emergency Card could be issued are:
• An applicant is in hospital awaiting discharge but they cannot return home because their home is no longer suitable for them due to their medical and other needs
• An applicant is suffering severe harassment (which could include domestic violence) and there is an immediate risk of harm if they stay in their home
• A housing association tenant in North Norfolk needs to be moved urgently so the property can be repaired, modernised or redeveloped.

The Emergency Card will be valid for 6 weeks. If after 6 weeks the applicant has not successfully bid for a property, their useof the Emergency Card will be reviewed, the Emergency Card will then either be removed or the period it can be used for extended.

Band 1
Contains those households who are in very high housing need and who need to move as soon as possible. Applicants in Band 1 will be:
• Households accepted as homeless (full duty)
• Households meeting 2 or more of the following critieria:
o In insanitary housing
o In overcrowded housing
o In otherwise unsatisfactory housing
o Need to move on medical grounds
o Need to move on welfare grounds
o Need to move to a particular locality to prevent hardship occurring
• Households threatened with homelessness within 28 days and likely to be accepted (full duty)
• Households for which the Council has a duty to re-house under the Rent Agriculture Act 1976
• Housing association tenants living in North Norfolk who are under-occupying (have more bedrooms than they need) their property by 1 or more bedrooms.

Band 2
Contains those households who are in high housing need. Applicants in Band 2 will be:
• Households meeting one of the following criteria:
o In insanitary housing
o In overcrowded housing
o In otherwise unsatisfactory housing
o Need to move on medical grounds
o Need to move on welfare grounds
o Need to move to a particular locality to prevent hardship occurring
• Households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness within 28 days but who have not been and who are unlikely to be accepted
• Households accepted as homeless but without a local connection and who have been referred to another area.

Band 3
Contains those households who are in medium housing need. Applicants in Band 3 will be:
• Households likely to become homeless within 2 months and likely to be accepted as homeless (full duty)
• Households who have 2 or more unsatisfactory housing circumstances which have an effect on the household i.e. living in overcrowded circumstances (lacking at least one bedroom), sharing facilities, living in insecure housing, lack of stability in housing history.

Band 4
Contains those households who are in low housing need. Applicants in Band 4 will be:
• Households who have one unsatisfactory housing circumstance which has an effect on the household i.e. living in overcrowded circumstances (lacking at least one bedroom), sharing facilities, living in insecure housing, lack of stability in housing history.

Band 5
Contains those households who are not eligible for the Emergency Card or Bands 1 to 4 as well as
• Households who would otherwise be included in a higher band or who have been demoted from a higher band because:
o it is considered that they have the financial resources to meet their own housing needs
o it is considered that they were unsuitable to be at tenant at the time of application but where it is not considered appropriate to exclude them from the register
o it is considered that they have deliberately worsened their housing circumstances
o they can take corrective action to improve their housing circumstances but they are unwilling to do so
o the homelessness duty has been discharged through having made a reasonable offer of accommodation which has been refused
o the are under 18 and are not being considered under the Norfolk Joint Protocol to address the needs of homeless young people in Norfolk
o they are in supported housing but are not ready to move onto independent living.

If you feel that you have been placed in the wrong Band you can appeal against this decision (see appeals).