Direct Lettings

What is a Direct Letting?

The council picks someone to move into a home.

They don’t show the home on the PPP website.

People don’t need to apply, or bid for it.

Why does this happen?

From 18 August 2025, councils can choose to do Direct Lettings.

This is only for some people who are in housing need.

Want to know more?

You can see which Councils are using Direct Lettings by clicking the links below.

Knowsley Direct Lettings Policy

Liverpool Direct Lettings Policy

Sefton Direct Lettings Policy

Wirral Direct Lettings Policy

KNOWSLEY COUNCIL

DIRECT MATCHING OF AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING TO HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS ACCEPTED TO THE SECOND CHANCE HOUSING SCHEME

Policy Background.

The changes to the Property Pool Plus (PPP) housing allocations policy widen the discretion to address wider housing issues faced by the participating local authorities by directly matching available affordable and social housing to particular groups of people in housing need.

Knowsley Council is proposing to utilise this provision in the policy to directly match available properties to homeless applicants who have been accepted on to the Second Chance Housing Scheme who are no longer owed a duty by the Council under sections 188, 189B and 193 of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 due to being found intentionally homeless. These households will be in Temporary Accommodation provided by the Council.

Homelessness in Knowsley.

The current PPP allocations policy is focused on tackling housing need and there has been a particular emphasis on applicants with a homelessness priority need. Changes made to the policy which were implemented in January 2024 have supported this with additional priority awarded to homeless applicants and the removal of restrictions on properties that homeless households can be considered for. These changes have increased the total number of properties allocated to applicants with a homelessness priority.

Outline of Direct Matching proposal.

It is proposed that, for a period of 2 years, up to 20 properties per year will be made available for direct matching to homeless households who have been selected for the Scheme. The remaining vacancies will be allocated through the choice-based lettings scheme in accordance with the published allocations policy.

Matching Process

Households will be identified as being eligible for the Scheme and their individual support needs identified. Households will be expected to engage with all services pending the identification of a suitable property.

The Housing Solutions Service will identify qualifying households and Housing Strategy will work with Registered Providers to identify a suitable property.

In the interests of sustainability and community cohesion, it is intended to make the distribution of matched properties as wide as possible. This will be monitored closely as the initiative proceeds.

Households who are matched to properties will be provided with housing support to assist with viewing of properties, tenancy sign up, benefit claims and ongoing tenancy management as appropriate. Referrals will be made to relevant health and care agencies as required.

Performance monitoring and review

Quarterly reports will be provided to PPP Contract Board to appraise them of

progress. This information will be shared with the Cabinet Member for Housing. Data collected will include:

Number of direct matches made by property type;
Number of allocations through CBL scheme by priority;
Geographical distribution of directly matched properties;

Households accepted onto the Scheme will be tracked for a period of 5 years from being allocated a social housing tenancy to monitor the success of the Scheme. This will be subject to consent of the household.

DIRECT MATCHING OF AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING TO HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION (Not active)

1. Policy Background.

Knowsley Council is proposing to utilise this provision in the policy to directly match available properties to homeless applicants currently residing in temporary accommodation provided by Knowsley Council who are owed a duty by the Council under sections 188, 189B and 193 of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

2. Homelessness in Knowsley.

Despite the positive impact of the policy direction outlined above, homelessness in Knowsley continues to be at critical levels. The economic situation together with various policy developments have resulted in significant increases in homeless households seeking assistance from the Council. Currently there are over 120 homeless households who have been placed in temporary accommodation. The accommodation provided is often unsuitable for long term occupation and has a negative impact on the life chances of vulnerable adults and families with children.

3. Outline of Direct Matching proposal.

It is proposed that, for a period of 6 months, 50% of all vacancies will be made available for direct matching to homeless households in temporary accommodation commencing in August 2025. The remaining vacancies will be allocated through the choice-based lettings scheme in accordance with the published allocations policy. In 2024/5 a total of 587 properties were allocated through PPP. If a similar number of properties were let during the period of the direct matching initiative, 147 properties would be made available to homeless households in temporary accommodation. This period of direct matching ended in February 2026.

4. Matching Process

An analysis will be made of all households currently in temporary accommodation to ascertain their requirements in terms of property type and location. This will largely determine which properties are to be directly matched and which ones are advertised on Property Pool Plus via the choice-based lettings scheme.

Households in temporary accommodation will be asked to register PPP applications if they have not already done so. The usual checks regarding their eligibility and whether they meet the qualification criteria will be undertaken. This will enable them to bid for suitable properties advertised on PPP while they are waiting for a direct match. Applicants will be prioritised for matches taking into account factors such as the length of time they have been in temporary accommodation and whether they have other housing needs which would give them an additional preference such as acute health and welfare needs.

The Housing Solutions Service will have oversight of the matching process and caseworkers will assist clients through the process. Verification checks will be undertaken for all cases and team leaders will sign off matches to available properties. Housing providers will also undertake the usual pre-tenancy checks before the tenancy is commenced. In accordance with the current allocations policy, homeless applicants will have no entitlement to a refusal of a suitable offer of accommodation.

Where it is clear that there are no applicants to be matched to particular properties, the housing provider will be directed to advertise them through the choice-based

lettings scheme. Careful monitoring of matches will be undertaken to keep void periods to a minimum.

For new build developments whereby quota have already been agreed between the local authority and the registered housing provider via a Loal Lettings Plan, these properties will be advertised via the norma allocation scheme rules, apart from those which are proposed to be allocated to homeless households in local authority provided temporary accommodation.

Applicants who are matched to properties and have support needs will be provided with housing support to assist with viewing of properties, tenancy sign up, benefit claims and ongoing tenancy management as appropriate. Referrals will be made to relevant health and care agencies as required.

5. Performance monitoring and review

Quarterly reports will be provided to PPP Contract Board to appraise them of

progress. This information will be shared with the Cabinet Member for Housing. Data collected will include:

Number of direct matches made by property type;
Number of allocations through CBL scheme by priority;
Geographical distribution of directly matched properties;
Numbers of homeless applicants in temporary accommodation.

LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL

DIRECT MATCHING OF AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING TO HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

1. Policy Background.

Liverpool City Council is proposing to utilise this provision in the policy to directly match available properties to homeless applicants currently residing in temporary accommodation who are owed a duty by the Council under sections 188, 189B and 193 of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

2. Homelessness in Liverpool.

Despite the positive impact of the policy direction outlined above, homelessness in Liverpool continues to be at critical levels. The economic situation together with various policy developments have resulted in significant increases in homeless households seeking assistance from the Council. Currently there are over 1,600 homeless households who have been placed in temporary accommodation. The accommodation provided is often unsuitable for long term occupation and has a negative impact on the life chances of vulnerable adults and families with children.

3. Outline of Direct Matching proposal.

It is proposed that, for a period of 12 months, 50% of all vacancies will be made available for direct matching to homeless households in temporary accommodation commencing in August 2025. The remaining vacancies will be allocated through the choice-based lettings scheme in accordance with the published allocations policy. In 2024/5 a total of 1,383 properties were allocated through PPP. If a similar number of properties were let during the period of the direct matching initiative, 692 properties would be made available to homeless households in temporary accommodation.

4. Matching Process

Where it is clear that there are no applicants to be matched to particular properties, the housing provider will be directed to advertise them through the choice-based lettings scheme. Careful monitoring of matches will be undertaken to keep void periods to a minimum.

5. Performance monitoring and review

Quarterly reports will be provided to PPP Contract Board to appraise them of progress. This information will be shared with the Cabinet Member for Housing. Data collected will include:

Number of direct matches made by property type;
Number of allocations through CBL scheme by priority;
Geographical distribution of directly matched properties;
Numbers of homeless applicants in temporary accommodation.

SEFTON COUNCIL

DIRECT MATCHING OF AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING TO HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

1. Policy Background.

Sefton Council is proposing to utilise this provision in the policy to directly match available properties to homeless applicants currently residing in temporary accommodation provided by Sefton Council who are owed a duty by the Council under sections 189B and 193 of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

2. Homelessness in Sefton.

Despite the positive impact of the policy direction outlined above, homelessness in Sefton continues to be at critical levels. The economic situation together with various policy developments have resulted in significant increases in homeless households seeking assistance from the Council. Currently there are over 260 homeless households who have been placed in temporary accommodation. The accommodation provided is often unsuitable for long term occupation and has a negative impact on the life chances of vulnerable adults and families with children.

3. Outline of Direct Matching proposal.

It was agreed that a period of direct matching would take place for homeless households in temporary accommodation, owed a duty by Sefton Council. As such, direct matching commenced from August 2025 and ceased at the end of April 2026. During this time, 45% of all vacancies were made available for direct matching to homeless households in temporary accommodation during this period of time, with the remaining vacancies allocated through the choice-based lettings scheme in accordance with the published allocations policy.

4. Matching Process

The matching process consisted of considering the initial analysis made by Sefton’s Housing Option’s Service regarding the bedroom/ property type and location requirements of each household in temporary accommodation. This then helped to determine which properties were to be directly matched and which ones are advertised on Property Pool Plus via the choice-based lettings scheme. This in turn ensured making best use of available stock and ensuring households were nominated for properties in line with their assessed need.

Households in temporary accommodation were required to register for PPP, if they have not already done so with usual checks regarding their eligibility and whether they meet the qualification criteria undertaken. This also enabled them to bid for suitable properties advertised on PPP whilst waiting for a direct match. Applicants were prioritised for matches taking into account factors such as the length of time they had been in temporary accommodation and whether they had other housing needs which would give them an additional preference such as acute health and welfare needs.

Once a nomination was made by the Local Authority via the Housing Options Service, Housing providers also undertook the usual pre-tenancy checks before the tenancy commenced.

Where there were no suitable applicants to be matched to particular properties, the housing provider was directed to advertise them through the choice-based lettings scheme to keep void periods to a minimum.

For new build developments whereby a quota had already been agreed between the local authority and the registered housing provider via a Loal Lettings Plan, these properties were advertised via the normal allocation scheme rules, apart from those which were proposed to be allocated to homeless households in local authority provided temporary accommodation.

Applicants who were matched to properties and have support needs were provided with housing support to assist with viewing of properties, tenancy sign up, benefit claims and ongoing tenancy management as appropriate. Referrals will be made to relevant health and care agencies as required.

5. Performance monitoring and review

As of May 2026, the current figures regarding the number of properties direct matched during the period of August 2025 – April 2026 based on PPP Banding Priority and bedroom size were as follows:

Sefton PPP Housing Priority Band	One Bed	Two Bed	Three Bed	Four Bed	Total
Band A	51	36	18	2	107
Band B	2*	0	7*	0	9
Band C	0	0	1*	0	1
Total	53	36	26	2	117

*N.b please note that all households nominated were in temporary accommodation at time of nomination and therefore households may have differing banding priorities depending on the homeless duty owed to them and the timing of when their application was updated.

WIRRAL COUNCIL

DIRECT MATCHING OF AVAILABLE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING TO HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

1. Policy Background.

Wirral Council is proposing to utilise this provision in the policy to directly match available properties to homeless applicants currently residing in temporary accommodation provided by Wirral Council who are owed a duty by the Council under sections 189B and 193 of Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996.

2. Homelessness in Wirral.

Despite the positive impact of the policy direction outlined above, homelessness in Wirral continues to be at critical levels. The economic situation together with various policy developments have resulted in significant increases in homeless households seeking assistance from the Council. Currently there are over 200 homeless households who have been placed in temporary accommodation. The accommodation provided is often unsuitable for long term occupation and has a negative impact on the life chances of vulnerable adults and families with children.

3. Outline of Direct Matching proposal

For a period of 6 months, 50% of all vacancies that would normally be advertised through the PPP Scheme, will be made available for direct matching to homeless households in temporary accommodation commencing on 12th January 2026. The remaining vacancies will be allocated as usual, through the choice-based lettings scheme in accordance with the published allocations policy.

In 2024/25, a total of 896 properties were allocated through PPP. If a similar number of properties were let during the period of the direct matching initiative, 224 properties would be made available to homeless households in temporary accommodation. It should be noted that the current PPP policy does award homeless households the highest priority for social housing (when eligible to apply) already, however without the ability to direct match, it cannot be guaranteed that 50% of available properties will be awarded to those in Temporary Accommodation due to other PPP applicants, not placed in Temporary Accommodation , who may have held a priority banding for longer. This is particularly relevant to single households requiring one-bed housing, which is in scarce supply.

4. Matching Process

The households in temporary accommodation will already be active on PPP and have a homeless priority band. The usual checks regarding their eligibility and whether they meet the qualification criteria will be undertaken. This will enable them to bid for suitable properties advertised on PPP while they are waiting for a direct match. Applicants will be prioritised for matches taking into account factors such as the length of time they have been in temporary accommodation and whether they have other housing needs which would give them an additional preference such as acute health and welfare needs.

The Housing Options Team will have oversight of the matching process and caseworkers will assist clients through the process. Verification checks will be undertaken for all cases and team leaders will sign off matches to available properties. Housing providers will also undertake the usual pre-tenancy checks before the tenancy is commenced. In accordance with the current allocations policy, homeless applicants will have no entitlement to a refusal of a suitable offer of accommodation.

RP’s will be asked to place an advert on PPP for their void, but the advert will not go live on PPP for bidding. The adverts will be reviewed and where possible, matched to one of our cases in temporary accommodation. Wirral Council will direct match the properties via PPP to the applicant in temporary accommodation. Where it is clear that there are no applicants to be matched to particular properties and for the remaining 50% of the adverts, Wirral Council will advertise the property for bidding and the RP will be able to shortlist these properties as per the usual process. Careful monitoring of matches will be undertaken to keep void periods to a minimum.

For new build developments whereby quota have already been agreed between the local authority and the registered housing provider via a Loal Lettings Plan, these properties will be advertised via the normal allocation scheme rules, apart from those which are proposed to be allocated to homeless households in local authority provided temporary accommodation.

5. Performance monitoring and review

Quarterly reports will be provided to PPP Contract Board to appraise them of progress. This information will be shared with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways. Data collected will include:

Number of direct matches made by property type;
Number of allocations through CBL scheme by priority;
Geographical distribution of directly matched properties;
Numbers of homeless applicants in temporary accommodation.