Prospective social housing tenants will soon have greater flexibility around income and savings caps.

The council-run Housing Allocations Scheme is the method by which social housing is allocated in Havering.

Under the previous rules, applicants could earn no more than a combined £36,000 to be eligible for a home.

The new scheme - which is due to go live on August 1 having been approved by the council last year - will introduce a two-tier system with the cap set at £50,000 for those with one or more children.

The figure for single people and couples without children remains at £36,000, although they can now have savings up to £30,000, up from £16,000.

Furthermore, a separate Opportunities Register will be available to those who do not qualify for social housing.

Free to residents, it will provide updates on shared-ownership opportunities and advice for people wanting to buy a home.

Patrick Odling-Smee, director of housing, said: "This scheme is the work of extensive consultation with residents, tenants and the wider community, and it is imperative we adapt our policies to keep in line with the real-life situations our residents face."