Submit an application for social housing in Oxford

To apply for inclusion on the Oxford Register for Affordable Housing (ORAH) you'll need to complete an application form and supply documents about your household and circumstances.

If accepted you will be told how to bid for properties advertised weekly using Choice Based Lettings.

When completing an application form please ensure you answer all the questions fully and provide all the information requested otherwise we will not be able to process your application.

All information will be treated as confidential, although information may be shared if we need to check against fraud or follow-up information about your housing needs.

We will take action against anyone found to have been fraudulently applying for accommodation or not giving full details of their circumstances.

Please read Important information before you apply.

Supporting documents we require

We require all these documents, as evidence, to support your application.

Where a bank statement is requested you must send a full bank statement in PDF format. Don't send screenshots or photos of bank transactions as these do not include the required information and we will not accept them.

1. Photo Identification for each household member over 18 - Valid passport, driving licence or residence permit. If you do not have any of these a full birth certificate showing parent(s) names.
2. Identification for household members under 18/adult children - Full birth certificate showing parent(s) names or immigration documents and proof of child benefit award. This could be a Child Benefit award letter or a full bank statement showing the child benefit payments.
3. Proof of address (PDF only) - Current tenancy agreement, licence agreement or letter from current head of household. If you are of no fixed abode, you can supply letters from any friends or family you have stayed with since you were at your last settled address or over the last five years.
4. Proof of income for each household member over 18 - Bank statements showing the payments coming into your account, last 2 months of wage slips (if employed) and/or proof of any benefit you claim (this could be a current entitlement letter or screenshot of a Universal Credit account).
5. Proof of capital and assets for each household member (PDF only) - Last 2 months of bank statements for all bank, building society, savings and post office accounts for each applicant over 18 and proof of any other assets or investments.
6. Proof of a qualifying local connection - If you and/or your partner are claiming a connection to Oxford on one of the grounds below, you must provide evidence for at least one of them:
   • residence in Oxford for six out of the last twelve months or three out of the last five years
   • long-term employment in Oxford for a minimum of sixteen hours per week
   • close family living in Oxford who have lived here for at least five years
   • membership/former membership of the armed forces or a bereaved spouse/civil partner of a member of the armed forces

How to submit your application form

Before applying please use the self-assessment tool to check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility

If you're eligible, please use the link below to start the form.

Apply for inclusion on the General Housing Register

Please call us on 01865 249811 if you have any difficulties completing the form or have any questions.

Supporting Evidence

As you complete the form you will be asked to upload supporting evidence. Evidence can usually be uploaded in a variety of formats, however we can only accept PDFs for certain evidence and the document upload field will reflect this. If you are unable to upload a PDF you can deliver the evidence by hand or post - please see below.

By hand

• Drop off the evidence to:
  • the Town Hall post box - this is situated at the North entrance to the Town Hall before you get to the main entrance if you are walking down St Aldate's from Cornmarket, it is clearly labelled 'Town Hall'
  • Oxford City Council Customer Services at the Library at Westgate - opening times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 3pm
• Do not send originals of supporting documents as we cannot return them (send photocopies instead).
• Please include a cover letter stating your application submission reference, your name, and phone number.

By post

• You can send evidence to us at:

Housing Needs SA0
Town Hall
St Aldate's
Oxford
OX1 1BX

• Do not send originals of supporting documents as we cannot return them (send photocopies instead).
• Please include a cover letter stating your application submission reference, your name, and phone number.

What happens after you apply

You will be given an application reference number after submitting the online form. Please make a note of this number in case you need it later.

If you provided an email address you will also be sent an automatic confirmation email which will include the application reference number. Please contact us if you don’t receive this within an hour of submitting your application (remember to check your spam folder).

We will then assess the application and write to you with the result.

The application process can take 12 weeks or longer. Submitting all your evidence online or sending in your evidence as soon as possible will reduce processing times.

We may also contact you if we require further information.

Related content

Apply to transfer an existing social housing tenancy