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Medical needs

Applying for re-housing on medical grounds

Medical Assessments

If you are applying for rehousing because your current accommodation is affecting a medical condition or disability, then you must complete the medical section of your application, answering yes to the question “Do you have an illness or disability that is affected by where you live now?” for each member of the household with a medical condition.   Answer each question in full and submit the form.

This will trigger a referral to the Medical Advisory Team to assess the information. 

Due to increasing demand for social housing, we are processing delays in carrying out medical assessments.  It can take up to 15 weeks for us to make a decision on your application. 

Medical priority will only be awarded if your condition is long-term or permanent.

You must have a local connection to Kirklees.  Without this you are not eligible for medical priority and will remain in band E (No Local Connection)

You may qualify for medical priority if you have a physical disability or mental health condition that is being affected by where you live.  The assessment does not examine how severe your medical condition is, it looks at how your current accommodation impacts on it, eg. you are unable to access basic facilities within your home such as the toilet or bathing, or your mental health is being affected. We want to find out if your health or that of a household member would improve by moving to alternative accommodation.

Conditions that do not qualify for medical priority:

  • Minor asthma affected by damp
  • Pregnancy (as this is not long term)
  • Stress due to harassment or noisy neighbours
  • Stress due to marital breakdown
  • Stress due to fear of burglary or anti-social behaviour
  • Overcrowding
  • Condensation or damp in property
  • Need to give or receive care and support
  • Financial reasons
  • Homelessness (unless there is an existing medical condition and specific accommodation is needed ie. ground floor accommodation or adaptations)
  • Property or garden too large to manage due to age.

Extra bedrooms

The Council will only award an extra bedroom in exceptional circumstances.  An extra bedroom for a full-time carer will only be recommended where an applicant needs ongoing essential overnight care and is receiving enhanced rate Personal Independent Payments or Disability Living Allowance.  There is also no guarantee that full housing costs will be paid for an extra bedroom by Housing Benefits or Universal Credit.

What happens once the medical assessment has been carried out?

The Medical Advisory Officer will assess your housing register application and any supporting information provided and give a professional opinion about the severity of the medical condition and whether the housing situation is impacting this condition. The assessment is carried out in line with the Kirklees Council Housing Allocations Policy

The Medical Advisory Officer will write to you with the outcome.

Depending on the outcome of the assessment, your priority may remain the same or you may be given an upgrade in your housing band.  It does not mean that we have not accepted your medical conditions if your priority is not upgraded.

The Medical Advisory Officer will also make recommendations as to the most appropriate property type for your needs.

If your current property is found to be suitable or could be improved/adapted to an acceptable standard, we will not award medical priority.

What if I disagree with the medical assessment decision?

If you disagree with our assessment of your situation or the band that you have been awarded, you have the right to request a review of the decision by a senior officer.   You must make this request within 21 days of receipt of the decision.   You should put your reasons in writing to Accessible.homes@kirklees.gov.uk.

We will write and inform you of the review decision within 28 days of receiving your request.  If you do not agree with our decision, you have the right to appeal to Officer Review Panel and beyond that to the Housing Appeals Panel.