Housing allocations enquiry
Case reference FOI2026/00010
Received 3 January 2026
Published 13 April 2026
Request
Please find below a Freedom of Information request in relation to housing Allocations policy.
1. Do you operate an earnings/income threshold for your housing waiting list? If so, how many people were refused to be placed on it in 2024/25 because their income was above the threshold?
2. Are applications to join the waiting list refused when applicants are deemed unable to afford the rent? If so, how many households were refused on that basis in 2024/25?
3. Do you make a financial assessment of households pre-tenancy to assess if the applicant can afford the rent? If so, how many households were refused a tenancy in 2024/25 on the grounds that they were deemed unable to afford the rent?
5. Do you have a 'Greenlight for Housing' process for applicants who are refused a tenancy on the grounds of insufficient income, whereby you assist them to improve their finances to be able to qualify for a tenancy in a later bid?
6. If you have such a process do people who refuse to participate in it have their application for a tenancy voided?
Response
1. Do you operate an earnings/income threshold for your housing waiting list? If so, how many people were refused to be placed on it in 2024/25 because their income was above the threshold?
Yes – we do operate an income threshold, as per our Allocations Scheme (https://www.guildford.gov.uk/bandingscheme). The software is unable to report on this, although anecdotally the numbers are small.
2. Are applications to join the waiting list refused when applicants are deemed unable to afford the rent?
No.
If so, how many households were refused on that basis in 2024/25?
N/A.
3. Do you make a financial assessment of households pre-tenancy to assess if the applicant can afford the rent? If so, how many households were refused a tenancy in 2024/25 on the grounds that they were deemed unable to afford the rent?
Yes, as part of our verification checks, we request proof of income/benefits, along with completing a Turn2Us trial calculation, if required. If it is deemed the applicant cannot afford the particular property they have bid for/are coming up for, they are overlooked prior to any viewings/nominations to our Registered Providers. In 2024/2025, there were 26 applicants that were overlooked/rejected for affordability reasons (some of these are the same applicant on more than one shortlist).
5. Do you have a 'Greenlight for Housing' process for applicants who are refused a tenancy on the grounds of insufficient income, whereby you assist them to improve their finances to be able to qualify for a tenancy in a later bid?
No, although they will if appropriate be signposted to Citizens Advice or other relevant services.
6. If you have such a process do people who refuse to participate in it have their application for a tenancy voided?
No.
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.