The research, Moving the deckchairs?: Social housing allocations in England, draws on a national survey of housing associations and case studies across four councils to examine how homes are being allocated in practice.
The context of the report is urgent. England has lost more than 180,000 homes for social rent over the past decade, while temporary accommodation numbers continue to climb. Although recent government commitments to expand the Affordable Homes Programme are welcome, they will take time to deliver. In the meantime, the pressure on allocation systems has intensified, with each letting carrying higher stakes for both applicants and landlords.
One of the clearest findings is that strongly harmonised local allocation systems work better. Where councils and housing associations operate shared housing registers or common allocation policies, homes are let more efficiently, voids are reduced and nomination refusals are less frequent. In contrast, fragmented systems create delays, confusion and unnecessary friction — a problem particularly for housing associations operating across multiple local authority areas.
Choice-based lettings (CBL), now mainstream in England, also comes under scrutiny. While originally designed to increase transparency and choice, housing associations reported more challenges than benefits. These include limited information about applicants, a mismatch between supply and demand, and insufficient support for vulnerable households. In a system dominated by scarcity, the promise of “choice” often rings hollow, and some stakeholders questioned whether CBL remains fit for purpose.
Barriers to access are another recurring theme. The report finds that many households are excluded from housing registers altogether, often due to rent arrears, lack of local connection or low incomes. Even homeless households are sometimes filtered out. For those who do reach the front of the queue, pre-tenancy checks can present another hurdle. In England, these checks frequently uncover affordability concerns late in the process, leading to offers being withdrawn, a pattern far less common in Scotland and Wales.
READ MORE: Digital twins: a new route to retrofit – Housing Executive
Housing associations emphasised that pre-tenancy checks are intended to sustain tenancies, not exclude people. But welfare reforms, the benefit cap and rising living costs have shifted financial risk onto the poorest households. These obstacles affect the most vulnerable, and as the report notes, if someone cannot afford social housing, it is unlikely they can afford any housing at all.
Ultimately, chronic undersupply of social rent homes underpins every operational challenge identified. However, the authors argue that although the allocation system doesn’t have the leverage to sway the pressure swelling in the background, action is still needed. Increasing social housing supply, strengthening access for people experiencing homelessness, removing income-based barriers, addressing unmet support needs and improving information flows between councils and landlords should be key priorities moving forwards. In an environment of extreme scarcity, the report warns, the way homes are allocated can either entrench exclusion or mitigate its worst effects.
The full study is available to read here.
