Social housing

Before you apply

The time that an individual or family is on the housing register varies depending on several factors, including; location, property type, and priority group (banding).

There are 18,000 council or housing association homes for rent in Hillingdon, making up about 16% of housing in the borough. Up to 450 social housing allocations are granted each year in what the council refer to as general needs homes and in sheltered and extra care housing.

There is currently 3,896 households on the Housing Register in Hillingdon. Housing need is determined by assessing the current housing circumstances of applicants. A priority 'band' is then allocated to each applicant according to the urgency of their housing need.

We receive many enquiries from people looking to rent a home in the borough. Like other boroughs, we have a shortage of homes compared with the number of people who need them. Therefore, we encourage you to continue searching for privately rented accommodation in order to obtain suitable housing.


In this section


Priority banding

The housing register is split into fourteen different bands, depending on the level of priority awarded under the policy, summarised below:

  • Band 1
    This is the highest priority band and is only awarded to households who are being decanted from their existing home and qualify for additional priority due to having 10-year continuous residence in Hillingdon.
  • Band 2
    As Band 1 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 3
    This band is for under occupying social tenants moving to a property with fewer bedrooms and that qualify for additional priority due to 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 4
    As Band 3 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 5
    This band is for households for which a management transfer has been agreed due to exceptional circumstances and that qualify for additional priority due to 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 6
    As Band 5 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 7
    This band is for households with an emergency and very severe housing need other than the needs covered by Bands 1 to 6 and that qualify for additional priority due to 10-year continuous residence. For full detail see table at Appendix 1.
  • Band 8
    As Band 7 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 9
    This band is for household with an urgent need to move and that qualify for additional priority due to 10-year continuous residence. For full detail see table at Appendix 1.
  • Band 10
    As Band 9 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 11
    This band is for households with an identified need to move and that qualify for additional priority due to 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 12
    As Band 11 but without 10-year continuous residence.
  • Band 13
    Homeless applicants without 10-year continuous residence who do not own a property or have savings over £30,000.
  • Band 14
    Applicants within a reasonable preference category who own a property or have savings over £30,000.

For more information on priority banding, please see our  social housing allocation policy (PDF, 722 KB)


Are you eligible for social housing?

You must meet certain criteria to be eligible to join the Housing Register.

Find out if you are eligible


Apply for social housing

Hillingdon administers a choice-based lettings process through the Locata IT system. This allows tenants to register interest in and place "bids" on properties that are advertised on the platform. 

Find out how to start your application for social housing

If you're not eligible or do not qualify for the waiting list, there may be  other housing options available.


Are you facing immediate homelessness?

If you are faced with homelessness within the next 56-days, you can find out what services are available for support on the homeless section of our website.

Find out how to get help with homelessness

Page last updated: 08 Apr 2025