The Housing Portal is not available at the moment. There is no need to call us. We will let applicants know and update our webpages once it is up and running. If you are homeless or facing homelessness, please call us on 01323 443380.
The Council manage just over 3,000 homes. However, because the demand for homes is greater than the supply, we run a Housing Register. If you are eligible, you can apply to be put on the waiting list.
How to apply for social housing and Sussex Homemove scheme
You can access the housing register and our choice based lettings scheme through the Housing Portal. Wealden District Council uses this to advertise social housing properties available in Wealden. The scheme covers all the available housing association properties including retirement living/sheltered housing. As the demand for social housing is greater than what is available there is a waiting list.
You have to be eligible and then apply via the Housing Portal. Applicants are assessed and if accepted are placed into one of four bands (A to D, with A being the highest priority) according to their housing need. This banding is based on the criteria in the our Allocations Policy.
Once you are on the scheme you have the choice to ‘bid’ for the properties you like, that meet your households needs. All available properties are advertised every two weeks, with photos and a full description on the Housing Portal.
Properties are offered to those with the highest housing need, in accordance with our Allocations Policy.
You will need to complete an online pre-assessment to see if you are eligible for social housing.
If you are eligible you will then need to continue and complete the main online application form. At the end of the online application form you will also be asked to upload your supporting documents. Your application will be assessed once we have received all your supporting documents.
We will let you know if your application has been accepted. If you are accepted you will be put into a priority banding according to our Allocations Policy and then you can bid for properties on the Housing Portal.
You will have to submit documents at the end of the online application form for all members of your household:
- Formal identification documents such as birth certificates or passports
- Proof of address history for the last 5 years or 10 years if needed
- Proof of income
- National Insurance numbers
- Dates of birth / pregnancy due date
- For any medical conditions evidence from a medical professional detailing the nature of a diagnosed medical condition AND evidence that this makes your current housing unsuitable.
Once you have submitted your application you will be sent a confirmation email and can then set up your Housing Portal Account.
How to create your account:
Visit Housing Portal then go to Register, you will need:
- Main applicant’s date of birth
- Main applicant’s surname
- New Housing Register application number
Once you add these, click on the next button. On the next page you will need to create a username and password, as well as entering your email address. Make sure you remember these as we don’t have access to them.
You will then be sent an account activation email (please check your junk/spam folder). Click on the link to activate your account. After this you will be able to log in and access your information using your username and password.
Having problems registering?
You can view our video on how to set up your account which is under the Videos tab on the portal – there are also other videos on using the portal. If you are still having problems registering, please contact us at: Housingsystems@wealden.gov.uk
From Monday 2nd February 2026 Sussex Homemove portal will be replaced by Housing Portal.
In order to continue placing bids on advertised properties or to report changes affecting your Housing Register application, you must register for the new Housing Portal.
If you currently are a Wealden Council tenant you only have to register once using either your Wealden Council tenancy reference (also known as rent account reference) or your new Housing Register bidding number. It makes no difference which one you use since the accounts are now linked.
How will your Housing Register bidding number change for Housing Portal?:
- Remove WDC from the front of your bidding number.
- Add number zero to the end of your bidding number.
If your current bidding number is for example:
WDC/123456
Your new bidding number will be:
1234560
How to register:
Visit Housing Portal then go to Register, you will need:
- Main applicant’s date of birth
- Main applicant’s surname
- New Housing Register bidding number or Rent reference number (current Wealden Council tenants only)
Once you add these, click on the next button. On the next page you will need to create a username and password, as well as entering your email address. Make sure you remember these as we don’t have access to them.
You will then be sent an account activation email (please check your junk/spam folder). Click on the link to activate your account. After this you will be able to log in and access your information using your username and password.
Having problems registering?
You can view our video on how to set up your account which is under the Videos tab on the portal – there are also other videos on using the portal. If you are still having problems registering, please contact us at: Housingsystems@wealden.gov.uk
How to register:
Visit Housing Portal then go to Register, you will need:
- Main applicant’s date of birth
- Main applicant’s surname
- New Housing Register bidding number
Once you add these, click on the next button. On the next page you will need to create a username and password, as well as entering your email address. Make sure you remember these as we don’t have access to them.
You will then be sent an account activation email (please check your junk/spam folder). Click on the link to activate your account. After this you will be able to log in and access your information using your username and password.
Having problems registering?
You can view our video on how to set up your account which is under the Videos tab on the portal – there are also other videos on using the portal. If you are still having problems registering, please contact us at: Housingsystems@wealden.gov.uk
If you are accepted onto the housing register, you will receive an email confirming and your banding, which you will need to bid on available properties.
Properties are advertised every two weeks on the Housing Portal.
You can make bids on this website. You can make up to three bids at a time and although it’s called ‘bidding’, no money changes hands – you’re just letting us know you’re interested in the property.
The adverts on the Housing Portal will tell you about the size, type and location of the property, usually with a photo of a similar property type.
You need to carefully read the whole advert to check that the property is suitable for your needs.
Please ensure you look at the symbols to make sure that it is a property that you are able to bid on. Some properties are only available to certain types of households, for example, transfer tenants. We use advert icons to provide a quick guide to the features of a property – there is a guide that explains what they mean.
The table below shows demand from existing housing applicants for social housing on a town/parish basis.
Alciston | 31 |
Alfriston | 38 |
Arlington | 39 |
Berwick | 36 |
Buxted | 55 |
Chalvington & Ripe | 29 |
Chiddingly | 34 |
Crowborough | 110 |
Cuckmere Valley | 29 |
Danehill | 31 |
East Dean & Friston | 40 |
East Hoathly & Halland | 39 |
Fletching | 30 |
Forest Row | 48 |
Framfield | 45 |
Frant | 36 |
Hadlow Down | 37 |
Hailsham | 200 |
Hartfield | 38 |
Heathfield & Waldron | 114 |
Hellingly | 122 |
Herstmonceux | 70 |
Hooe | 28 |
Horam | 99 |
Isfield | 29 |
Laughton | 27 |
Little Horsted | 28 |
Long Man | 26 |
Maresfield | 50 |
Mayfield & Five Ashes | 45 |
Ninfield | 32 |
Pevensey | 117 |
Polegate | 180 |
Rotherfield | 46 |
Selmeston | 25 |
Uckfield | 159 |
Wadhurst | 46 |
Warbleton | 27 |
Wartling | 26 |
Westham | 100 |
Willingdon & Jevington | 109 |
Withyham | 33 |
- View our Housing Allocations Policy – Key Facts which will answer the questions that are frequently asked.
There are 3 stages for Applying for Social Housing to Rent
To join our Housing Register, you must meet our eligibility criteria.
Who can join the Housing Register – Eligibility
Most applicants will be eligible to join the register, but there are some exceptions.
The following will not qualify to join the register:-
- Applicants who own or jointly own a property or land with or without a
mortgage, (including shared ownership, leasehold etc.) in the UK or
elsewhere will not qualify to join the housing register unless exceptional
circumstances apply. - Applicants or a member of their household who have purchased a property under the right to buy and has disposed of this asset by way of sale or gift to any other person will not qualify to join the housing register for a period of five years following the disposal of the property subject to otherwise being an eligible and qualifying person.
- Applicants living outside of the UK
- Applicants including those for retirement living or general needs housing who have over £50,000 in assets.
- Applicants whose housing costs are less than 25% of their income
- Applicants with no local connection to the Wealden District
- Applicants whose behaviour means we think they would not be able to satisfactorily manage a tenancy, for example, those with rent arrears or a history of anti-social behaviour.
Section 3 of our Allocations Policy includes further details of people who will not be eligible. Here you can find our Housing Allocations Policy Key Facts.
How to apply to join the housing register
To apply to join the Council’s housing register, you will need to complete an application online at the Housing Portal.
If you don’t have access to the internet, you can use the internet free of charge at the Council offices or most libraries.
If you apply for housing, but you do not qualify, you will receive a letter explaining the reason and have the right to request a review of the decision.
We are proud of our strong track record in providing affordable housing across the district—and we are committed to making sure it is allocated fairly to those who need it most.
When someone applies to join Wealden’s Housing Register, we get in touch to ask for details about their current and previous living situations. This helps us understand each applicant’s circumstances so we can assess their housing needs properly.
In general, we will ask about:
- Where you have been living
- What your current housing situation is like
- Who lives with you
- Your financial circumstances
We also ask about any medical conditions that might affect the type of housing you need or your priority on the Register.
Most people provide everything we need, and once they do, they are successfully added to the Housing Register.
However, we do sometimes receive incomplete applications—such as missing bank statements or details about other people living at the address—which can delay or affect the outcome.
Wealden District Council checks every application to make sure we have received all the necessary information. If something is missing, we will give you the chance to supply it within 14 days. But if we do not receive the full information within 28 days of applying, we will have to remove the application from the Register. In some cases, this might also involve follow-up checks with other council departments like Council Tax or Housing Benefit.
To avoid any issues or delays, please make sure you send us all the information we ask for as soon as possible. That way, we can continue to fairly match local households with the homes they need.
Allocation of Homes – Priority Banding and Bedroom Categories
Once you have been assessed, you will be put into a priority banding (as per section 6 of our Allocations Policy) and bedroom category (as per section 5 of our Allocations Policy). If you feel you have been placed in the wrong priority band or bedroom category you can request a review. This attachment provides guidance on requesting a review of your bedroom entitlement or banding
We also operate a Parish Lettings Policy which aims to sustain and support rural communities by ensuring that housing in a rural parish is allocated to those applicants who have a local connection with that parish. It applies to all parishes in Wealden except lettings in Hailsham, Polegate, Uckfield or Crowborough (see Appendix A of our Allocations Policy).
Changes to your situation
Once you have applied for housing you are legally required to tell us about any changes in your situation as these can affect your housing application. You can let us know about these, or discuss your situation by emailing: housingallocations@wealden.gov.uk or by calling 01323 443322.
Once a case has been made live a bid can be placed on properties.
We make properties available every two weeks at Sussexhomemove.org.uk.
- An applicant needs to go the web site
- Locate a property or properties in which they are interested.
- Log into their own account and place up to maximum of three bids on suitable properties.
Please note we allow up to three bids per bidding round.
You are not able to place a bid on a property too large for your family needs
The successful person will be contacted in writing within 7 days of the adverts closing.
If you apply for housing, but you do not qualify, you will receive a letter explaining the reason and have the right to request a review of the decision.
Once you have submitted your online housing application, you will be asked to provide information to support what you have said. Once we receive all the supporting information we asked for, it will take around sixteen weeks to register your application. If you do not provide the required supporting information you will not receive an offer of accommodation despite being able to bid on individual properties.
Allocation of Homes – Priority Banding and Bedroom Categories
Once you have been assessed, you will be put into a priority banding (as per section 6 of our Allocations Policy) and bedroom category (as per section 5 of our Allocations Policy). If you feel you have been placed in the wrong priority band or bedroom category you can request a review. This attachment provides guidance on requesting a review of your bedroom entitlement or banding
We also operate a Parish Lettings Policy which aims to sustain and support rural communities by ensuring that housing in a rural parish is allocated to those applicants who have a local connection with that parish. It applies to all parishes in Wealden except lettings in Hailsham, Polegate, Uckfield or Crowborough (see Appendix A of our Allocations Policy).
Changes to your situation
Once you have applied for housing you are legally required to tell us about any changes in your situation as these can affect your housing application. You can let us know about these, or discuss your situation by emailing: housingallocations@wealden.gov.uk
If you require additional support with applying for social housing please email Housing Options at housingoptions@wealden.gov.uk
For information on housing costs/benefits please click here