An applicant’s guide

The information below provides important information for applicants applying for affordable homes with a 'rural local connection' criteria in Monmouthshire, advertised through the Monmouthshire Homesearch.

What does rural local lettings mean?

When you completed your on-line housing application with Homesearch, we asked whether you have a rural local connection to any Community Councils or Parishes in Monmouthshire.

This is because many affrodable homes that are built in rural areas across Wales must give priority to local people from specific community areas, as a condition of planning permission. You can watch a short video HERE which explains a little more about the need for a Rural Allocations Policy.

In Monmouthshire this means that applicants for these homes must be able to demonstrate their local connection for properties advertised on Homesearch with a ‘rural local connection’.

How do we check and prioritise your eligibility?

Eligible applicants will be shortlisted in priority band order using the criteria listed below. Once the list of applicants from the relevant community council boundary is exhausted we will move on to shortlist applicants with a rural connection to the neighbouring community council areas.

Rural Housing Lettings Criteria

Priority order:  Priority will be given, in the first instance, to (a), with (b), (c) and (d) having equal priority.

(a)     Applicants with a housing need who have lived in the community (defined as the Community Council area) for a period of at least 5 years at the time of application, or in the past.

(b)     Applicants who need to live in the community in order to provide support to a dependent child or adult or to receive support from a principal carer.

(c)     Applicants who are principally (>20 hours per week) employed in the community (defined as the Community Council area).

(d)     Applicants who have left the rural area to access housing, but rely on immediate family members for child care (where family members have lived in                the community (defined as a community council area) for a period of at least 5 years).

We will always prioritise households who fully maximise the home advertised under the rural allocations policy. Applicants will be considered by housing need (bands 1 to 4) after the rural local connection criteria has been applied. 

Households currently living in an affordable home, will not be given further priority under this policy, unless they are moving to downsize, to release much needed family homes.

One spare room will be considered if an applicant can demonstrate that the tenancy will be affordable to them (we will complete an affordability assessment with you to demonstrate this), or if there are exceptional circumstances.

Where can I check which Community Council, I have a connection to?

If want to know which Community Council area you have a connection to, Monmouthshire County Council’s mapping tool can be used to check by entering the postcode.

How do I evidence my local connection?

Examples of proofs / supporting documents that are required to evidence a rural local connection include;

• Utility bills such as gas or electric
• Bank statements
• Medical registration documents
• Confirmation from an employer of the date of commencement of employment, employment status and whether employment is full-time or part-time
• Applicants living at home will be expected to provide evidence that their parents have achieved the local connection e.g. utility bills, bank statements
• Education records
• A letter from the clerk of the local community council
• A letter from the Elected Member for the local ward

Applicants who meet criteria (b) and (c) may also need to provide;

• Information on a social services care package
• Carer’s allowance / attendance allowance
• GP letter

We may also make enquiries with the electoral register, council tax and credit check agencies such as Experian to establish and verify the local connection.

What areas are included in the rural allocations policy?

Areas that are considered under the Monmouthshire Rural Allocations Policy include;

*Any developments within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (BBNP) will be subject to their Rural Allocations criteria.

Areas not included are;

The main settlements of

Abergavenny (including Mardy, Croesonen and Llanfoist)

Llanelly (This area is entirely within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and will be subject to their Rural Allocations Policy criteria).

Caldicot

Chepstow

Monmouth (includes Wyesham)

Usk

The Severnside settlements of Magor, Undy and Rogiet

Where can I find out more information?

For further information about Monmouthshire County Council’s Rural Allocations Policy, please see Appendix 1 of the Monmouthshire Allocations Policy.

It should be noted that the Partnership reserves the right to nominate applicants for rural vacancies who do not meet the above criteria where it is considered that the circumstances of the individual case warrant special consideration. Such cases can only be considered for the offer once the decision has been agreed by the Common Housing Register Operational Sub Group and the Housing and Communities Manager.

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