Apply For Social Housing
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Following the Alliance between East Lindsey District Council and Boston Borough Council, we have developed a joint Housing Register system and Housing Allocations policy for both authorities. This means there is only one online application to complete for one or both areas. Qualification and banding for each authority may differ dependent upon the applicant's local connection.
It is important to note that there are no council owned properties in East Lindsey or Boston
Social housing in both areas consists of homes owned and managed by Social Housing Providers (Housing Associations).
Due to the high demand for social housing most applicants will wait a considerable time before appropriate accommodation is made available to them, particularly in areas of high demand for social housing and/or where the applicant has low priority.
In most cases, applicants may have little prospect of ever being allocated accommodation.
Applicants are urged to check the eligibility criteria by accessing the joint BBC ELDC Housing Allocation Scheme 2021 (PDF, 677 KB) before completing a housing application.
The graphs below demonstrate the local demand for social housing , the current housing stock and waiting times for those who are accepted onto the housing register.
The joint BBC ELDC Housing Allocation Scheme 2021 (PDF, 677 KB) details the Banding criteria and identifies those applicants with the greatest housing need.
On the 1 February 2025 there were 1,216 live housing register applications for Boston Borough Council and 1,621 for East Lindsey, these are categorised below:
| Boston | No of live applications | East Lindsey | No of live applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom need | 553 | 1 bedroom need | 786 |
| 2 bedroom need | 380 | 2 bedroom need | 421 |
| 3 bedroom need | 241 | 3 bedroom need | 278 |
| 4 bedroom need | 52 | 4 bedroom need | 108 |
| 5 bedroom need | 10 | 5 bedroom need | 20 |
| 6 bedroom need | 0 | 6 bedroom need | 8 |
The Housing Register data (PDF, 130 KB) we collect demonstrates successful applicants from each band and the length of waiting times for each in the calendar year of 2024.
To give applicants a realistic choice, both Councils aim to provide information, or signpost applicants to the appropriate agency, about other appropriate housing options which might be available to them. This might include:
- Private rented accommodation - the private rented sector can provide types and sizes of dwellings which may not be readily available within the social rented sector. For those with a lower priority under the CBL scheme, and who may be waiting a considerable time before they are offered accommodation, a vacancy in the private rented sector may offer a quicker housing solution.
- Immediately available properties - some low demand properties may be available directly through the registered providers.
- Shared ownership schemes - for those people who cannot afford to buy a home outright on the open market, shared ownership allows the applicant to purchase a share of a property and pay rent on the remainder. See Help to Buy website for further details.
- Mutual exchanges & mobility schemes - possibly a quicker way of moving, rather than applying for a transfer. Tenants find another Housing Association or Council tenant to swap their homes with, providing they have the agreement of their landlord.
- Home improvement schemes or provision of aids and adaptations - these may enable applicants to remain in their existing accommodation for longer.
If you believe that you meet the eligibility criteria you can Apply Here (opens new tab) to be considered for inclusion on the housing register .
For assistance with the online application process, please refer to the Housing customer portal guidance document below.
Applicants will be required to provide the requested document proofs within 28 days of the application being made. Failure to do so will result in the application being cancelled. Please refer to the Housing Register evidence checklist below to see what proofs are accepted.
** We currently have a backlog of applications and therefore assessment times may vary from 4-8 weeks**
Adverts will be added any day Monday to Friday as and when they come up and will run for a minimum of four days. We therefore would advise all applicants to check the system twice a week to ensure you do not miss out on properties advertised.
If you are a current Housing Association or Council tenant looking to move property or area, you may wish to look into a mutual exchange through websites such as HomeSwapper (opens new tab) but you should speak to your housing provider for advice first.
Platform Housing Group may have some properties available in different areas where you can apply for them direct.
Please note the Housing Register team are only available for telephone queries Monday to Friday 9am-12pm.