Health assessments
The Council’s Housing Register is a register of all the people eligible for social housing in the borough. People on the register are awarded a priority for rehousing according to their need. Some people may need to be rehoused because their current home is very unsuitable due to their health problems. If you or another member(s) of your household has a severe and enduring medical condition or disability, you can ask us to look at your need to be rehoused.
When you apply to the Housing Register you will be asked about your health needs and your need to be rehoused. If you are already on the register and your health has greatly deteriorated, or if you have been diagnosed with a significant health problem, you can still ask us to look at your priority for rehousing, based on health grounds.
An overwhelming majority of applicants to the Housing Register are not rehoused due to health problems. We will only award priority for you to be rehoused where you are unable to access essential facilities in your current home and a move to a more suitable property would greatly improve your (or a member of your household’s) independence and/or ability to access essential facilities.
We can also recommend the type of housing that you and your household needs to meet long-term needs. If you would like more information on accessible housing, please see the section on Accessible Housing.
Do I need a health assessment?
If you are applying to the Housing Register, your Housing Solutions adviser will discuss your problems with you and identify whether you should have a health assessment. If you are already on the Housing Register, you should call us to discuss your health needs. We may then ask you to complete a health and disability self-assessment form, giving details of the relevant issue(s). Where more than one member of a household has health issues that need to be assessed, a separate form must be completed for each person and be submitted at the same time. The form will ask you to identify your GP and other health professionals who can provide us with supporting evidence. Do not ask them to contact us, our health assessor can make contact and request any additional information they may need.
What happens next?
We will look at the information provided on your self-assessment form and may contact your GP and other relevant professionals. We do not usually need to make direct contact with you at this stage. Once we have completed the assessment, we will write to you to tell you the results.
Assessments are based on evidence (reports) from a registered health professional only. This is likely to be your GP or consultant. If you have been assessed by a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or mental health professional, they may provide useful additional information on your ability. We will not consider referral letters, appointment letters, letters about benefit claims or letters from complementary therapists, relatives, friends or other representatives. These do not provide medical evidence.
We receive a very large number of requests for a health assessment. It can take up to 15 weeks (and sometimes longer) to complete the assessment and write to you.
Are re-assessments carried out?
Re-assessments may be carried out if:
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your health (or a member of your household’s health) has greatly deteriorated
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you/they have been newly diagnosed with a severe and enduring medical condition
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new information has come to the Council’s attention and/or the Council has reason to believe the level of priority previously awarded may be inappropriate or need review.
How to find out more
In person:
Customer Service Centre
The Town Hall
Hornton Street
London W8 7NX
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm
By phone:
Housingline 020 7361 3008
By email: