Camden council tenants may be eligible for a Tenant’s Option Fund payment when they move to a smaller home or exchange their home with an overcrowded family.
Apply for help downsizing your home
More information on eligibility and the amounts available to you are detailed below.
Eligibility for financial help
- You must make your application within three months of moving.
- You are a Camden Council tenant who is currently under occupying your property.
You are not entitled to a payment from the fund if you are moving:
- to a larger socially rented home in Camden
- to a social rented home of the same size in Camden
- out of borough through a mutual exchange
- if you are a housing association tenant
If you live with an adult non-dependent
An adult non-dependent is someone, other than your partner, aged 18 or over who lives with you.
If you live with an adult non-dependent and they move into another Camden council property, it may affect the amount of payment you will receive.
Examples of how your payment could be affected
- You live in a 3-bed property with an adult non-dependent. You move into a 2-bed property. The adult non-dependent moves into a 1-bed property. You will not receive a payment as there is no net gain to the council from you moving, as you and your non-dependent will move to the same number of bedspaces that you have relinquished.
- You live in a 3-bed property with an adult non-dependent. You move into a 1-bed property. The adult non-dependent moves into a 1-bed property. You would receive payment for downsizing one bedroom. Please note that under occupation is assessed by the total the number of people currently living in your home and not the number of people included in your housing application. If there are more people living with you than on your housing application, then you may not be under occupying your council tenancy.
No one should be left in your home when you downsize to your new home. You are required to give the Council vacant possession.
Payments you may be entitled to when downsizing
The following payments are available to residents downsizing or relinquishing their council homes
Any tenant living in a studio or 1 bedroom flat
- Payment for downsizing – N/A
- Payment for relinquishing social housing in Camden - £1,000
Aged 59 or below, living in a home with 2 bedrooms or more
- Payment for downsizing - £1,500 per bedroom released + £500 one off payment for moving via mutual exchange
- Payment for relinquishing social housing in Camden - £1,500 per bedroom released
Aged 60 or above, living in a home with 2 bedrooms or more
- Payment for downsizing - £3,000 per bedroom released + £500 one off payment for moving via mutual exchange
- Payment for relinquishing social housing in Camden - £3,000 per bedroom released
If you have any rent arrears, these will be taken off your payment. All payments will be made to the bank account of the named tenant after you have returned your keys and we have been notified of a tenancy start date.