Vulnerable groups provided greater access to social housing

On 19 June 2025, the Government laid out regulations which will exempt care leavers under 25 and domestic abuse victims from local connection rules which currently impede access to social housing. 

Key Points:

• Victims of domestic abuse and care leavers under 25 will benefit from the removal of local connection rules.
• This announcement comes after the Government committed £39 billion investment for a new ten-year Affordable Homes Programme.
• This helps deliver the Government’s Plan for Change. This is by supplying people with safe and secure housing and raising the quality of living standards.

The change aims to ensure that young people under 25 leaving care and victims of domestic abuse have better access to social housing. This will exempt them from previous rules that restricted access to social housing for those that did not have a connection to the local area. This intends to remove the penalisation of such groups, acknowledging tough individual circumstances that they may face. 

This change will apply to all councils in England, 90% of which currently use the local connection criteria to decide who qualifies for social housing. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner showed her willingness in “rewriting the rules”, and stated:

“Our changes will make sure these vulnerable groups do not face unfair barriers to safe and secure housing. This is backed by our commitment to secure the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, and through our Plan for Change we are going further and faster to make this a reality.”

These regulations will come into force on Thursday 10 July. 

The Government press release can be found below:

Press release: Vulnerable people given greater access to social housing 

For further information or to discuss, do contact Anna Bennett.