Who can join

If you are interested in becoming a member of Under One Roof you will need to complete an application form. There is no cost to join Under One Roof.

On the application form we will ask you some questions about your current housing circumstances, for example whether you are homeless or living in a house that is too small, whether you have a medical need such as a physical disability, inform ation about your financial circumstances, who else lives with you and the reasons you would like or need to move. We ask these questions to make sure that those in the greatest housing need are given priority.

16/17-year-old applicants

If you are 16 or 17 you can apply to Under One Roof but we don't usually make anybody a member of the scheme until they are 18. This means that you cannot be offered a home.

There are some exceptional situations where these rules don't apply which are detailed in our Allocations Policy.

Applicants aged under 24

All applicants who are under the age of 24 and apply to Under One Roof will need to complete an interview before they are eligible to become an active member. This is to help you settle in as a new tenant, ensure you can access any support you may require and make sure you understand your responsibilities as a tenant.

Applicants from outside the St Helens Borough

Applicants who don't live in St Helens at the moment but would like to join Under One Roof can do so in the usual way. The band you will be placed in will depend on your housing circumstances, as well as any local connection you might have to St Helens. By local connection we mean if you have lived in St Helens in the past five years, if you work in St Helens or if you have any other responsibilities, such as looking after a relative in St Helens. You must provide clear information about this.

For further details of the rules around local connection see our Allocations Policy.

Applicants with rent arrears or previous housing debts

Applicants who owe landlords money at the time they apply to join Under One Roof, or have previous housing debts, may not be allowed to become a member of the scheme. This will depend on the level of debt and the circumstances of the applicant. For further details please see the section in the Allocations Policy on Eligibility.

Applicants with current rent arrears or previous housing debts who are allowed to become a member of Under One Roof will normally be put in a lower band than usual unless there are special circumstances. The reduction in banding will depend on the level of debt.

Further details can be found in the section of the Allocations Policy headed 'Current and Previous Housing Debts'.

Owner occupiers

If you own your home now or have owned one in the past and have savings or equity over £16,000, you may be put in a lower band than usual. There are some exceptional circumstances to this rule and these are set out in our Allocations Policy.

Click here to get an application form to become a member>>
Click here to find out what happens after you have applied>>