Barnsbury Housing Association

Key worker housing

We think it essential that people working in essential services locally can also afford to live here.

We sometimes have vacancies for flats we have set aside as key worker housing but currently have none available.

July 2024 update: We have a lot of interest in this service and our waiting list for applicants is full so, for now, we are not accepting applications.

Our key worker homes are let on assured shorthold tenancies (for a fixed term) at affordable rents. These are open to people who work in the public sector, with priority given to sectors facing recruitment difficulties because of the short supply of affordable housing and to those living in the London Borough of Islington.

Key workers must demonstrate proof of employment and also proof of income and this will be monitored throughout the tenancy.

To be eligible for our key worker accommodation you must work for one of the following employers:

  • Camden & Islington Mental Health & Social Care Trust
  • Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust
  • Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service – with a place of work in the London Borough of Islington
  •  London Borough of Islington Teachers
  • Islington NHS Primary Care Trust
  • London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority
  • London Fire Brigade
  • London Underground Limited & Transport for London
  • Metropolitan Police Service
  • Moorfields Eye Hospital
  • The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Whittington Hospital

And be in one of the following jobs:

  • clinical staff in NHS (excl. doctors / dentists)
  • teachers incl. FE teachers and early years / nursery teachers
  • police officers and community support officers
  • frontline police staff (civilians)
  • prison officers and some prison staff
  • probation officers, senior probation officers, trainee probation officers
  • local authority social workers
  • local authority therapists (cccupational or speech & language)
  • local authority educational psychologists
  • local authority nursery nurses
  • local authority planners
  • local authority clinical staff
  • fire & rescue uniformed staff below principal
  • local authority environmental health officers or practitioners

Applicants must be:

  • on a permanent or fixed term contract of 12 months or more, with at least 6 months left to work;
  • have permanent leave to reside in the UK;
  • not own another property, be able to afford to buy a home on the open market or be included on any other social housing tenancy;
  • have a total household income of less than £48,000 per year (but normally less than this);
  • able to afford the rent without needing public funds.

To find out more about key worker housing in Islington, please visit Islington Council’s website.