If your property is now too big for you, you can apply for the Small is Beautiful scheme.

To be eligible, your current property must:

  • be a council or housing association property
  • have 2, 3, 4 or 5 bedrooms
  • be in the Royal Borough of Greenwich

The scheme can help you move to a smaller home that better meets your needs. We can then use your property to help another family who needs it. For example, those in an overcrowded property or who are homeless.

What you'll get

We'll help you with costs and finding a new home that better meets your needs.

Financial benefits

We'll pay:

  • £1,000 for each spare room you give up
  • an extra £500 if you downsize by mutual exchange
  • your moving costs
  • your disturbance costs, for example, for packing, disconnecting and reconnecting your appliances

Priority to find a new home

We'll put your household in the highest priority band on the housing register so you can find a new home as soon as possible.

An Under Occupation Adviser will support you throughout the downsizing process.

Extra support for households with adult children

If you have non-dependant adult children living with you, we can offer them their own flat, if we can get a bedroom back. This means you and your adult child will each get a one-bedroom flat.

Extra support for older tenants

If you're Pension Credit age you can downsize to a home with one extra bedroom to allow for caring or support needs.

We can visit you and support you with everything you need to downsize.

Who can apply

You can apply if you're under-occupying your home by at least one bedroom.

When we decide if a tenant is under-occupying, we count a second living room (or parlour) as a bedroom.

Find out about housing bands.

Apply

Email: Housing-Allocations-Downsizing@royalgreenwich.gov.uk 

Other downsizing options

If you're 55 or over, you could also consider moving to the seaside or countryside.

This could be for you if you're:

  • in poor health
  • struggling to cope in your current home
  • keen to move nearer to friends, family or amenities

You can also contact us if you know other tenants who might benefit from this scheme.

Find out about moving to the coast or countryside.