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.

23 Apr 2025

All news

Funding boost from Department of Energy and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund

Street view of bungalows with solar panels

We are delighted to announce that a recent bid for Government funding to enhance the energy efficiency of social housing has been successful. In partnership with 22 other social housing providers within the Tees Valley Combined Authority, we have collectively been awarded £43.9 million from the Department of Energy and Net Zero's (DESNZ) Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

Currently, 96.5% of our homes are rated as Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C, taking us close to meeting the national Government target of 100% early, which is currently set at 2030.

Over the next three years, we will be using our allocated £475,000 of this funding, to upgrade 55 homes (currently below EPC grade C) to meet EPC grade C or above. This will involve installing solar panels on all of these homes and air source heat pumps in five of them, significantly reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy bills.

This work builds on the energy efficient improvements carried out to 457 homes under Wave 1 and Wave 2.2 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Paull Fullard, Asset Sustainability Manager said: ”This funding will significantly enhance the energy efficiency of these homes making them more affordable to run for our customers. This project is a crucial step towards meeting the national Government target of 100% EPC Band C by 2030."

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.