Affordable Housing Gateway waiting list (FOI)

Request

In respect of the Affordable Housing Gateway waiting list, please supply the following:

A

The total number of active applicants assessed and accepted into Band 5 of the Gateway (ie the applicant wants to purchase a property but requires some financial assistance to do so) for each month since 1 September 2013, when the Gateway was created, to the present time;

B

If the number of applicants in Band 5 includes anyone living in private sector rented accommodation then please supply a relevant breakdown between the proportion of Band 5 applicants living in social housing accommodation and those living in private sector rented accommodation;

C

Confirmation of whether there have been any changes in the eligibility criteria required for acceptance into Band 5 since the Gateway was established in September 2013 and whether any future changes are currently being actively considered by the Housing Minister.

Response

A 

As the numbers in some months are less than five, the information has been provided in quarterly bands to ensure that the information complies with Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 and that individuals cannot be identified.

B 

Of the current 630 applicants in Band 5; 559 are living in the private sector and 71 in social housing.

C

There have not been any changes to the eligibility criteria required for acceptance into Band 5 since the Gateway was established in September 2013. Applicants are accepted into Band 5 and whether they are eligible to benefit from an affordable home purchase scheme will depend on the criteria that is put in place by the affordable housing provider at the time of the scheme. The Minister for Housing is not currently considering making any changes.

Exemption(s) applied

Article 25 – Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.