Your housing options

Under-occupation scheme

Under-occupation schemes allow council or housing association tenants with one or more spare bedrooms to move into a smaller, more manageable homes of their choice.

This frees up homes for people who are:

  • homeless
  • overcrowded
  • in temporary accommodation

Meet a Kensington and Chelsea tenant who has successfully downsized:

Eligibility

This scheme is available to everyone in the borough who is a council or housing association tenant.

  • if you have spare bedrooms in your property, which you no longer need or want, you may be able to access support through our downsizing scheme
  • our Housing Mobility Team can guide you through the downsizing process, from registration to securing a successful move

Benefits of the scheme

You can:

  • move to an accessible property that meets your health or medical needs 
  • reduce or clear your rent arrears, by using the cash incentives we offer when you downsize
  • reduce your household bills
  • move closer to work, family or friends 
  • live somewhere new, for example, near the seaside
  • live near the centre of town or close to local amenities 
  • make it easier to clean or maintain your home
  • give a homeless or overcrowded household a home 

How it works

Our Housing Mobility Team can:

  • contact you by telephone
  • meet you in person
  • arrange a virtual meeting

They'll discuss your housing options and provide information and advice. 

Incentives

If you qualify and choose to downsize, you'll get:

  • cash incentives, depending on the number of bedrooms you give back
  • removal costs paid
  • high priority points on the Housing Register to help you find a suitable home of your choice 
  • split tenancies for eligible households, helping household members over the age of 18 to secure their own social tenancy

Contact us

Housing Mobility Team

Visit us at the Customer Service Centre

Last updated: 13 February 2026