It can be difficult to give up a family home that you have lived in for a long time. But we encourage you to consider whether you still need a property as large as you have.
If you are under occupying and have held your tenancy for at least two years, you can apply to downsize, or move to a smaller home. You can also apply for a grant of up to £4,800 to help cover the cost of moving.
As a general rule you are entitled to one bedroom for each of the following:
- An adult couple
- Another person aged 16 or older
- Any two children of the same sex aged 15 or younger
- Any two children aged 10 or younger, regardless of sex
- A non-resident carer, if somebody in your household has a disability and needs overnight care
Read section 5.4 of our Lettings Policy to find out more about bedroom entitlement.
Apply to downsize to a smaller home
If you want to move to a smaller council home, the first step is to register for Home-Link.
You can also try to find a mutual exchange and swap your home with another council or housing association tenant who is looking for a larger home.
Apply for a grant to help you move home
If you move to a smaller council home, you might be eligible to receive a grant from our Under Occupation Scheme to help cover the cost of moving.
If you prefer, you can download an application form and send it back to us.
The level of grant you can receive depends on the size of the properties you are moving from and to.
| Moving from | Moving to | Incentive | Removal allowance | Total grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-bedroom property | 1-bedroom property | £500 | £400 | £900 |
| 3-bedroom property | 2-bedroom property | £500 | £600 | £1,100 |
| 3-bedroom property | 1-bedroom property | £1,000 | £600 | £1,600 |
| 4-bedroom property | 3-bedroom property | £500 | £700 | £1,200 |
| 4-bedroom property | 2-bedroom property | £1,000 | £700 | £1,700 |
| 4-bedroom property | 1-bedroom property | £1,500 | £700 | £2,200 |
| 5-bedroom property | 4-bedroom property | £500 | £750 | £1,250 |
| 5-bedroom property | 3-bedroom property | £1,000 | £750 | £1,750 |
| 5-bedroom property | 2-bedroom property | £1,500 | £700 | £2,250 |
| 5-bedroom property | 1-bedroom property | £2,000 | £750 | £2,750 |
Funds are limited, so you have no automatic entitlement to receive a grant. We will make payments according to our current policy.
This incentive is also applicable if you swap your council home through mutual exchange, if all parties are moving to a property they would be eligible for under our letting policy.
