Housing in England explained
Homes in England are rented out by private and social landlords.
What is a private landlord?
Individuals or companies who offer private rented accommodation on the open market, by advertising or using agents. There are legal controls on the quality and standard of this accommodation, how many people may live there and what basic facilities should be offered (for example, WCs, bathrooms, cooking facilities). Rents are at the market rate, but some people may be able to get Local Housing Allowance Housing Benefit to help with paying this rent. More information about Housing Benefit eligibility.
For more information about your rights in private rented accommodation.
For help with problems with private landlords.
For help with claiming Housing Benefit go to your local council (find your local council) or one of these organisations.
What is a social landlord?
Local councils and housing associations get government help to provide social housing. This is housing for people in need, at affordable rents, which may be temporary or permanent.
Local councils
In England, some services are run by local government, called councils. Only some of these have housing responsibilities.
Borough, district and city councils in England are housing authorities. They:
- provide advice to anyone in their area in housing need, whatever their immigration status
- inspect private rented housing to make sure it is up to standard
- help tenants harassed by their landlords.
Contact them for these services (find your local council).
They also provide some housing services that may not be available to some people from abroad:
- waiting lists and systems to allocate any housing the council controls
- help for people who are homeless in their area.
How to apply for council housing.
How to apply if you are homeless.
Further information about homelessness help.
Further information about who can apply for council housing and homelessness.
Housing associations:
- are independent, not-for-profit organisations
- are run by a board or committee of volunteers
- provide affordable homes for people in housing need
- are now the country's major providers of new homes for rent
- some may provide specialist housing, for example for the elderly or disabled
- some may also run low-cost home ownership schemes for people on lower incomes who want to buy their own homes.
In some areas, housing associations run the homes that were once owned by the local council. Housing Associations may also run schemes to help people with lower incomes buy their own homes. Further information.
Most larger housing associations also have nomination agreements with local councils so that an agreed number of their vacant properties are rented to people the council proposes (from the council housing register). In areas of high housing demand this may be 100% of all vacancies. In most areas, housing associations also run joint waiting lists with local councils.
How to apply for a housing association home.
Further information about local housing associations.