Apply for council housing

Check if you are eligible, find out how to apply and search for available council and housing association properties.

If you are affected by housing issues, it is important to know your rights and options.

Use the Leeds Housing AdviceAid tool to get the right guidance for you.

Demand for council homes is very high. We cannot find homes for everyone who applies. You could also:

Demand for council housing

There are over 27,000 households on the Leeds Homes Register, and over 5,000 of these are in Band A, the highest priority band. Most Band A customers are waiting over 2 years to be offered a home with the council.

Demand for council housing in Leeds is very high and the number of homes available cannot meet the demand. Waiting times are lengthy and being on the register does not mean you will be successful bidding on properties.

If you used the Leeds Housing AdviceAid tool and determined council housing as a suitable option, check if you are eligible and find out how you can apply.

Check if you can apply

You must be 16 years old or over to apply for council housing.

Eligibility can also depend on your nationality, immigration status and if you’ve recently lived abroad. This is because the law says that there are some people who arrive in the UK from abroad that we cannot rehouse.

We will not accept applications if you have a history of unacceptable housing-related behaviour. This includes:

  • rent arrears
  • antisocial behaviour
  • criminal activity or damage to property

If we reject your application, we will write to you to explain why.

If you are already a council tenant

To find a different council home, you will need to make a new application. It might be faster to swap your home through a mutual exchange.

How to apply

To apply for council housing, you need to register online for a Leeds Homes membership.

You will need to provide:

  • your national insurance number
  • the national insurance number of any joint applicants
  • your email address
Register for Leeds Homes membership

What happens next

When your application is approved, you will be given a Leeds Homes membership number. This will allow you to bid on available properties advertised on the Leeds Homes Website, which include properties owned by the council and housing associations.

You can search for available properties online on the Leeds Homes website.

Search for available properties

How we work

See our Lettings Policy for details of how the Leeds Homes Register works, how we assess people's housing needs, and how we make decisions on who we rent properties to. Read our lettings policy.