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.

Opportunities For Young People

Young people are finding it harder to gain work and training opportunities. We can provide individual one-to-one support needed to help our customers gain work experience, training, apprenticeships and jobs.

One-to-one mentoring

Receive one-to-one mentoring from our Livin Futures Advisers Lisa or Louise. We can help you with interview practice as well as preparing and reviewing your CV, giving you the best chance of standing out from the crowd and securing the opportunity you are looking for.

Request support from Livin Futures Read our case studies

NextGen

The NextGen pathway guides and motivates students towards a positive progression into an apprenticeship or full-time college course. As part of the pathway, students will spend one day per week gaining practical work experience alongside our repairs operatives.

Over the course of the academic year, they will be introduced to a range of trades, providing valuable insight into the construction industry and helping them make informed career choices.

Request more information about NextGen

Apprenticeships

We see apprentices as being a key element of our future growth plans. We have former apprentices and trainees working at every level within our organisation. When we have an opportunity to recruit into a progressive role, we look to attract graduates who have completed University but are not finished learning into higher apprenticeships.

Skills Foundation

We can provide the skills to support you on your chosen career path. We currently have exciting opportunities available in care, transport (HGV), warehousing and construction.

Skills foundation opportunities

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.