Durham County Council has changed the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. From 1 April 2026, all working‑age residents will need to contribute towards their Council Tax.

We want to make sure you have the right advice and support. If you’re unsure how these changes might affect you, or what to do next, please contact Durham County Council on 03000 262 0000.

Supporting Sustainable Tenancies

Vision: Empowered tenants living in comfortable and manageable homes in sustainable communities

We want our tenants to feel proud of their homes and the community they live in.

By using data smartly, we will provide effective support that helps maintain tenancies, boosts health and wellbeing and promotes independence.

We will offer financial inclusion support that makes living more affordable and helps sustain tenancies. We will expand our digital housing and tenancy management services ensuring that tenants stay informed and in control.

We will work with tenants to make sure our allocations and lettings processes contribute to balanced and sustainable communities where everyone can thrive.

Objective 10: Deliver effective support interventions that meet individual needs

To do this we will:

Provide personalised support for tenants to improve their health and wellbeing
Make best use of available housing stock by supporting tenants to access more affordable homes that best meet their needs
Provide personalised aids and adaptations to facilitate independent living and support long- term sustainable tenancies
Enhance the case management approach to prevent, manage and resolve incidences of ASB and neighbourhood nuisance

Objective 11: Provide financial inclusion support that improves affordability and sustains tenancies

To do this we will:

Target personalised, accessible financial inclusion support offers to tenants to improve affordability and maximise rental income
Improve tenants' skills and confidence to manage their own money, maximising rental income and sustaining tenancies
Optimise the rent arrears and payment processes to maximise rental income
Understand current and emerging local labour market needs, remove barriers and support tenants affected by welfare reforms into employment

Objective 12: Expand digital housing services to provide consistent, reliable and innovative tenancy management

To do this we will:

Deliver end-to-end digital tenancy management services that are reliable, consistent and efficient
Modernise leasehold and low-cost home ownership processes to deliver an improved customer experience

Objective 13: Proactively utilise allocations and lettings to positively contribute to tenancy sustainment

To do this we will:

In partnership with relevant Local Authorities, develop the frameworks, policies and protocols to enable balanced allocations to contribute to tenancy sustainability

Performance

Turnover of tenancies as a percentage of overall stock (cumulative)

Current tenant rent arrears as a percentage of the rent roll

Percentage of tenants to have improved financial confidence following financial inclusion support

Percentage of tenancies using digital means of managing their tenancy

Total number of tenants to be helped into employment (cumulative)

Total number of customers helped into employment (cumulative)

Average re-let time (calendar days) standard (excluding major works)

Percentage of tenants reporting personal anti-social behaviour, contacted within three working days

Percentage of tenants reporting nuisance anti-social behaviour, contacted within two working days

Percentage of tenants reporting environmental anti-social behaviour, contacted within ten working days

Find out more about Plan A in the sections below

Background

Consistently Delivering Excellent Customer Experience and Digital Services

Excellent services that are consistent, reliable, innovative and influenced by customers

Supporting Balanced and Sustainable Communities

Sustainable and thriving communities that meet residents’ needs and nurture a sense of pride and belonging

Supporting Sustainable Tenancies

Happy and empowered tenants living in comfortable and manageable homes in sustainable communities

Providing Quality Sustainable Homes

Tenants living in warm, safe, high quality, and sustainable homes in which they are proud to live

Building and Acquiring Sustainable Homes

Additional high quality, sustainable homes, which meet the needs of customers, in balanced communities

Maintaining Strong Finances

Financially strong and resilient, investing in the future of social housing for our customers and their communities

Maximising the Talent and Contribution of our People

A professional, engaged and empowered workforce, working together to deliver excellent services

Plan A Priorities

How do I apply for a Livin home or bungalow?

We advertise all of our available homes on our Find A Home page, simply visit this page for more information.

Before you can place a bid on one of our homes, you must first have an active account with the relevant Choice Based Lettings Scheme. Almost all our homes are located in County Durham and therefore are allocated through the Durham Key Options scheme. Durham Key Options (DKO) is a partnership between Durham County Council and landlords across County Durham.

We have a small number of homes which are located outside Durham, these are all advertised through Tees Valley HomeFinder, Hartlepool HomeSearch and Darlington HomeSearch; They are similar to Durham Key Options but we do not process applications registered for these schemes. If you wish to register an application for homes advertised in this area, please apply directly.

Once your application is approved, you will then be able to bid on homes that meet your needs. You can access the application form directly by visiting the relevant Choice Based Lettings system.

How long will it take for my application to be processed?

We aim to start processing your application within 10 working days. If we require any further information after this point, we will contact you to ask for this. Once we have received all the required information we will notify you of our decision within 20 days, and if accepted we will activate your account. You can also check your application status online by logging into the DKO portal.

How can I get involved with Livin and help to shape services?

To find out more about the different ways you can get involved, please visit our getting involved section.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Buy?

Tenants who have been with Livin since before the transfer from Sedgefield Council in 2009 may have the “Preserved Right to Buy” their property. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Buy website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.

Can I apply to buy my home under Right to Acquire?

If you have been a tenant for 3 or more years you may have the right to buy your property under the Right to Acquire scheme. Full details of the scheme are available on the Government Right to Acquire website. If you are thinking of applying, please contact us.