People who have lived in County Durham for at least two years will be given priority access to the council’s social housing register under a new allocations policy.
The changes, which will come into force in February 2027, are intended to ensure social housing is allocated "fairly" to those in the greatest need, as demand for homes continues to outstrip supply.
The new policy replaces rules in place since 2017 and follows several rounds of public consultation, when more than 80 per cent of respondents said applicants should have a local connection to qualify for the housing register.
Durham County Council said the number of active applicants on County Durham's housing register had risen from 7,686 in 2020 to 10,238 in 2025 – an increase of about 25 per cent.
Despite the growing demand, only about 3,000 social homes become available to let each year.
Under the revised policy, applicants will normally need to have lived in County Durham continuously for at least two years before they can join the housing register.
However, exemptions will apply to care leavers, victims of domestic abuse, veterans and their families, and people with a local homeless connection, including those who have lived, worked or have close family in the county.
The policy also introduces a new four-band system for assessing housing need.
Band One will be reserved for people with urgent or exceptional housing needs, while Band Four will cover those with lower levels of need.
Additional priority will be given to applicants fleeing domestic abuse, those with urgent medical needs, members of the armed forces community and people living in severely overcrowded homes.
A council report said the revised policy aimed to ensure "social housing across the county is allocated consistently and fairly to those in the greatest housing need in an open and transparent way".
Councillor Dawn Bellingham, the council's cabinet member for communities and civic resilience, said: "We recognise the great need for social housing, and this new policy reinforces our desire to support residents. These new measures will ensure that social housing will be given to those who need it the most.
"We've listened to residents' views following multiple consultations on the new policy and we hope it goes a long way to addressing concerns around social housing in the county."
Alan Boddy, chief executive of Livin Housing, said the changes came at a time when demand for social housing continued to exceed the number of homes available.
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"Everyone involved wants to make sure social housing is allocated fairly and to those who need it most," he said.
"This new policy has been developed with input from residents, Durham County Council and housing associations across the county, and gives greater clarity about how decisions are made.
"We all share the same goal of helping people access the right home at the right time, while supporting sustainable, balanced communities where people can thrive."
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