If you're a tenant of Oxford City Council with a family-sized property and are willing to move to a smaller home, you may be eligible for compensation and financial assistance. This helps us house another family in need and gives you higher priority in our allocation scheme.
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must be a secure tenant of Oxford City Council and have an accommodation offer from our Allocation team.
If you rent from a housing association or another social landlord in Oxford, you might still qualify for high priority in our allocation scheme but please check with them for similar schemes.
Compensation details for downsizing
See the table below for maximum compensation based on property sizes.
| Current Property Size | Moving to a 4-bed | Moving to a 3-bed | Moving to a 2-bed | Moving to a 1-bed | Moving to designated elderly 55+ or a sheltered property (2-bed) | Moving to designated elderly 55+ or a sheltered property (1-bed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-bed | £1,400 | £2,800 | £4,200 | £5,600 | £4,700 | £6,100 |
| 4-bed | £0 | £1,400 | £2,800 | £4,200 | £3,300 | £4,700 |
| 3-bed | £0 | £0 | £1,400 | £2,800 | £1,900 | £3,300 |
| 2-bed | £0 | £0 | £0 | £1,400 | £1,400 | £1,900 |
Claimable moving expenses
Alongside compensation, you can claim up to £1,750 for moving expenses. Before moving, you must agree on the expenses with the under-occupation officer, and they must be directly related to your move. Valid expenses include removals, skip hire, new floor coverings, and appliance disconnections/reconnections. We will only reimburse expenses if you provide valid receipts. For any other moving-related expenses, contact the under-occupation officer for approval.
Support throughout your move
We'll support you from application to relocation. Please note, any rent or council debts will be deducted from your compensation.
More information and how to apply
Interested in moving? Make sure you have a current transfer application with us.
For an application form please contact the Under-Occupation team.
You can also contact your tenancy management officer for help with your application.
Contact the Under-Occupation team
Speak to customer services
If you need to speak to someone about this topic, you can ring or visit our customer service centre.
