Your queue date

people Market forces: the earlier your queue date, the better your chance of a home

When you register for rehousing for a Northwards home, you get an application number, a rehousing priority group, and a 'queue date'.

The earlier your queue date, the more chance you have. That's because if people with the same priority want a home, it goes to the one with the earliest date.

You go into one of three rehousing priority groups depending on your circumstances. Your queue date is based on the day you first go into that group. So if for example you started in group 3 in January 2008, but moved to group 2 in July 2008 (because your circumstances changed), your queue date is July 2008.

But in some cases, your queue date could be earlier . . .

Qualifying for an earlier queue date

You could have an earlier queue date than the date you actually went into the priority group if you have one or more qualifying reasons for needing to move. You could have an extremely serious illness; or are about to be homeless; or living in overcrowded or seriously bad conditions for example.

If you're in group 2, your queue date moves six months earlier for every qualifying reason. So if you registered in November 2007, and have one qualifying reason, your queue date moves back six months to April 2007. If you have two qualifying reasons it moves back twelve months to November 2006.

What's your queue date?

Your queue date is on the letter we (or the landlord handling your application) sent you when you first registered, and on any other letters about your rehousing application.

Or find it online on the Homefinder website. Log on and follow the links to 'Check your rehousing status'.

Using the queue date

Use queue dates to give you an idea of the likelihood of getting a home. See Rehousing areas: properties and prospects for the average queue dates of people who get different types of homes. Compare your queue date to theirs to see where you stand. Remember these are average dates, so treat them as a guide only.

Move quickly

Queue dates for flats in multi-storey blocks are often later than the averages shown for other properties - which makes them a great option if you want to move quickly. Find out more about high-rise living.

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