Pembrokeshire Council pushes back housing policy launch to 2027
Pembrokeshire County Council delays its new social housing allocation policy until February 2027, extending the re‑application window for thousands of households.
Pembrokeshire County Council has announced that the launch of its revised Choice Homes@Pembrokeshire allocation policy will be postponed until February 2027, pushing back the original October 2026 timetable.
The delay follows updated guidance from the Welsh Government, prompting the council and its housing partners to amend the proposed policy before it is rolled out.
Under the current arrangements the Housing Register will reopen on 28 October, with applications assessed and properties allocated using the existing priority banding.
Applicants who have already begun the transition to the new register will be contacted directly before that date.
Weekly property adverts have been suspended while system changes are finalised, but eligible households will continue to be allocated from shortlists of applicants.
Residents are urged to keep their preferred letting areas up to date to avoid missing future allocations.
The council says the revised policy will still aim to allocate scarce social housing fairly, prioritising those with the greatest need while keeping homes available for local families and communities.
To allow time for the changes to be implemented, tested and communicated, the launch has been moved to February 2027, giving existing applicants a longer window to complete the re‑application process.
Of the 4,292 households previously registered, only 59 % have submitted a new application, and 945 households in the highest need categories have yet to reapply.
The extended timetable is intended to provide additional support and engagement for those households, ensuring they are not disadvantaged by the transition.
She added that the council will use the extra time to offer further assistance to applicants with known housing need.
The announcement has sparked criticism on social media, with one user lamenting, “This should not have started until everything was in place ready to go.” It has been a nightmare!!”.
Another commenter argued, “Policies should have been in place before they decided to change things?” A shame as it doesn’t give any confidence.
Everything should be open and honest.”
A resident highlighted a specific case, saying, “There’s a 3‑bed house locally that was given to a person who had just fitted it out, now sitting empty after six weeks because the person wants a house 15 miles away and wants to swap, while a local family is struggling in unfit accommodation!”
The resident continued, “This should not be allowed, it should be handed back and reallocated to a family that wants to live there.”
Local housing advocates have called for greater transparency in the allocation process, urging the council to publish detailed criteria for future policy revisions.
Welsh Government officials have not yet commented on the council’s decision, but the guidance that prompted the changes is expected to be incorporated into the final policy draft.
Stakeholders will have the opportunity to consult on the proposed amendments over the coming weeks, with the council pledging to publish the consultation documents promptly.
In the meantime, the council reassures households that existing allocations will continue uninterrupted and that the extended timeline will help ensure a smoother transition for all parties involved.