Key workers

The Council's policy
The Council's Housing Allocation Policy defines Tandridge key workers as those who:

- provide essential public services such as health and personal care , education, police and emergency services, social services and other local authority staff; and/or
- contribute to the infrastructure and economic viability of the area, such as transport providers, postal service workers, domiciliary support, refuse collectors, certain shop workers. This is not an exhaustive list but gives an example of how private sector services contribute to the overall well-being and sustainability of an area. For example providing housing opportunities for shop workers might keep a village shop open.

10% of all new shared ownership schemes will be available for allocation to key workers only.

10% of all new Housing Association rented accommodation will be available for allocation to key workers only

The situation of key workers will vary in response to economic and personal conditions. There will be shortages of different types of teachers or health workers at different times.

To be accepted as a key worker for any of the Council's housing opportunities, employers will be expected to verify applicant's employment details and give details of the difficulty in recruiting to or retaining the post.

The Council's eligibility criteria
In order to be registered on the Council's Key worker List, applicants must match the definition given above which must be verified by their employer. In order to be given priority for rented accommodation through the Housing Register, you must have a household income of 39,999 or less.

Housing opportunities
The Council is working in partnership with a number of housing associations to develop new homes for key workers. In addition, Key Workers are also considered for nomination to 10% of new Housing Association affordable rented properties and 10% of Homebuy properties.

You can read our Key Worker Information Leaflet or download a Key Worker Verification form by clicking on the links below:

• Key Workers Application Information Leaflet
• Key worker Verification form

You can also complete the Key Worker Application form online by clicking on the link below. Please Note: You must apply or have applied to the Housing Register before your Key Worker Application will be accepted. If you have not already done so you can download a copy of the form on complete one online from our Housing Needs Register page.

• Key Worker Online Application Form

Key Worker Living programme

Public sector workers, such as nurses and teachers, could get help to buy or rent a home as part of the Key Worker Living programme, a £690m government scheme. The programme aims to help people working in front line roles for key public services.

Further information can be obtained from the Homebuy website.

The programme offers simple options to help key workers into home ownership, upgrade to family homes or rent at affordable levels. Building on the foundations of its predecessor, the Starter Home Initiative (SHI), the Key Worker Living programme places more emphasis on larger homes, responding to the problems faced by many key workers when they need to upgrade to a family home.

What the programme offers

The Key Worker Living programme offers four different kinds of help:

• equity (Homebuy) loans of up to £50,000 towards buying a home
• higher Homebuy loans of up to £100,000 for London school teachers who have the potential to become leaders of London's education system
• shared ownership of new properties
• 'intermediate renting', where the rent is set at a level between that charged by social and private landlords

Who may be eligible for help

The workers who can get help are:

• nurses and other NHS clinical staff
• teachers in schools and in further education and sixth form colleges
• police officers and some civilian staff in some police forces
• prison and probation service staff
• social workers, educational psychologists, planners (in London) and occupational therapists employed by local councils
• whole-time junior fire officers and retained fire fighters (all grades) in some fire and rescue services (currently only in Hertfordshire)

How to apply

To find out if you are eligible for help, you need to contact the government appointed zone agent listed below who covers the area you work in. The zone agent will tell you which key workers in your area can get help. This depends on how big the local problem is of recruiting and keeping staff.

London zone agent
Telephone: 0845 300 2820

Key Worker Living London Website

South East England zone agent

Covering Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
Telephone: 0845 600 6699

Key Worker Living South East Website