Homelessness Applications
Case reference FOI2026/01855
Received 2 September 2026
Published 6 October 2026
Request
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information:
Questions:
1. Please provide copies of any policy and practice documents currently used or relied upon by your housing officers to manage the initial approach of homeless applicants and how they are required to make their homelessness application. Such documents could include, but not be limited to:
(a) guidance notes;
(b) briefings;
(c) training materials or records;
(d) reports;
(e) recent reviews of your homelessness service; and/or
(f) internal policy/practice documents.
2. Please confirm the different methods by which you currently assist homeless applicants who approach the council to make a homelessness application under the provisions of the Housing Act. In particular, please confirm whether services are provided via:
(a) online application form;
(b) email;
(c) telephone booking;
(d) in-person appointments; and/or
(e) other (please specify).
3. For each of the methods at 2(a) to (e) above, are they available on an on-demand basis or are they restricted to appointment only?
4. Do you publicly advertise each of the above methods?
(a) If so, where and in what format is the information about how to access these services provided?
5. What in-person services do you offer to people who need to make a homelessness application and in what circumstances?
(a) Where you are not meeting applicants face-to-face, what methods do you have in place to ensure that you have sufficient information about the applicants to process homelessness applications and prioritise available housing?
6. How do you triage someone who presents in person seeking homelessness assistance? What information do you provide to that person, and in what format?
7. If services are restricted to appointment only (i.e. walk-ins are not
accommodated):
(a) how can those appointments be booked?
(b) what are the current wait times for securing an initial appointment?
(c) what criteria are applied in prioritising the order in which appointments are
offered?
8. Have the methods for accessing homelessness services in 2(a) to (e) above changed in the last 6 years?
(a) If so, please explain the changes and when they were implemented.
(b) At the time any of these changes were being contemplated or implemented, did you conduct any impact assessment on those who might be adversely affected by the relevant change? If so, what were the results of those impact assessments?
(c) Since the relevant change, have you observed any changes in:
(i) the number of homeless applicants;
(ii) the profile of homeless applicants; or
(iii) the method via which they have accessed homelessness services or made an homeless application?
9. How many homelessness applications have you received each year for the past 6 years?
(a) In each of those years, how many applications have been received via each of the methods at 2(a) to (d) above?
(b) Do you track statistics on the profile of applicants and whether they may face difficulties in accessing services via the different methods above, including, but not limited to:
(i) illiteracy or low literacy;
(ii) individuals who are digitally excluded;
(iii) people with disabilities;
(iv) elderly people; and/or
(v) non-English speakers.
(c) What assistance and/or special provisions do you make for any individuals who may face difficulties in accessing services?
(i) Are any of these restricted in any way? For example, is an applicant required to demonstrate a specific disability in order to be offered certain types of support?
10. How many in-person appointments do you provide daily?
(a) On which days of the week, during what hours and at which locations are in-person appointments available?
(b) Of the total number of daily in-person appointments you offer to
constituents generally, how many are available for homelessness
applicants?
(c) On average across the past 6 years, how many people that have presented for in-person appointments each day were offered appointments?
11. How do you receive and deal with urgent homelessness applications?
12. Do you offer emergency walk-in slots daily? If yes:
(a) How many emergency slots are available each day and on which days of the week?
(b) Are these slots solely for homelessness appointments or are they for a range of council services?
13. Do you rely on, or direct applicants to, other third party or local authority services for assistance in making a homelessness application? If so:
(a) Please specify the service providers.
(b) Do you train those service providers on how to assist?
(c) For each of these service providers:
(i) What are their hours of operation?
(ii) Are there any access restrictions in place? In particular, are they
available on a walk-in basis or do they need to be booked in
advance? If booking is required, what is the process?
14. Have you received any complaints:
(a) in relation to the process for accessing homelessness support;
(b) from anyone who has struggled to access homelessness support due to the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide; or
(c) from other service providers as a result of the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide?
Response
Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please find the answers to your queries below:
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information:
Questions:
1. Please provide copies of any policy and practice documents currently used or relied upon by your housing officers to manage the initial approach of homeless applicants and how they are required to make their homelessness application. Such documents could include, but not be limited to:
(a) guidance notes;
(b) briefings;
(c) training materials or records;
(d) reports;
(e) recent reviews of your homelessness service; and/or
(f) internal policy/practice documents.
See the attached Triage Health Check form.
2. Please confirm the different methods by which you currently assist homeless applicants who approach the council to make a homelessness application under the provisions of the Housing Act. In particular, please confirm whether services are provided via:
(a) online application form – No.
(b) email – Yes.
(c) telephone booking – Yes.
(d) in-person appointments – Yes.
(e) other (please specify) – Visit (eg to home, hospital); Virtual (eg with applicant in prison, refuge, support setting).
3. For each of the methods at 2(a) to (e) above, are they available on an on-demand basis or are they restricted to appointment only?
Assessments by appointment only. Emergencies seen by duty officer on demand.
4. Do you publicly advertise each of the above methods?
(a) If so, where and in what format is the information about how to access these services provided?
Not individually published, the website invites a customer services enquiry which is then directed to the relevant team.
5. What in-person services do you offer to people who need to make a homelessness application and in what circumstances?
Visit (e.g. to home, hospital) where mobility or travel is difficult.
Virtual (e.g. with applicant in prison, refuge, support setting) where Teams/Zoom are accessible.
Office interview wherever possible.
Day centre, usually for rough sleepers or those otherwise engaged with the outreach team.
Outreach team for single people who may approach the hostel directly to make an application.
(5a) Where you are not meeting applicants face-to-face, what methods do you have in place to ensure that you have sufficient information about the applicants to process homelessness applications and prioritise available housing?
Telephone call to gather information; use of digital signing app to facilitate provision of declarations and consents; email for provision of documents and providing information; online portal for customers to upload documents and access PHP and letters.
6. How do you triage someone who presents in person seeking homelessness assistance? What information do you provide to that person, and in what format?
General advice is provided verbally, with the information recorded in the case to which the customer will have access via the online portal. Any leaflets, handouts, signposting is done in writing via email or hand. Meetings (e.g. full assessment appointment) is recorded in the portal to which the customer will have access. If they do not have access or do not use email then this is written down, or can be sent to a friend/family member/support worker to share.
7. If services are restricted to appointment only (i.e. walk-ins are not
accommodated):
(a) how can those appointments be booked?
(b) what are the current wait times for securing an initial appointment?
(c) what criteria are applied in prioritising the order in which appointments are offered?
N/A – walk-ins are seen on the day by triage and then a duty officer if required.
8. Have the methods for accessing homelessness services in 2(a) to (e) above changed in the last 6 years?
No.
(a) If so, please explain the changes and when they were implemented.
(b) At the time any of these changes were being contemplated or implemented, did you conduct any impact assessment on those who might be adversely affected by the relevant change? If so, what were the results of those impact assessments?
(c) Since the relevant change, have you observed any changes in:
(i) the number of homeless applicants;
(ii) the profile of homeless applicants; or
(iii) the method via which they have accessed homelessness services or made an homeless application?
N/A.
9. How many homelessness applications have you received each year for the past 6 years?
2020/21 – 379
2021/22 – 389
2022/23 – 438
2023/24 – 473
2024/25 – 450
2025/26 – 423
(a) In each of those years, how many applications have been received via each of the methods at 2(a) to (d) above?
Information not recorded.
(b) Do you track statistics on the profile of applicants and whether they may face difficulties in accessing services via the different methods above, including, but not limited to:
(i) illiteracy or low literacy – No.
(ii) individuals who are digitally excluded – No.
(iii) people with disabilities – Yes.
(iv) elderly people – Yes.
(v) non-English speakers – No.
(c) What assistance and/or special provisions do you make for any individuals who may face difficulties in accessing services?
We are flexible in terms of how we communicate, e.g. can accommodate email only if an applicant struggles on the phone or in person, can visit if someone is housebound or in hospital, can arrange video calling if someone is in prison or in refuge. We use language services (interpreter) for those who request it or for those who communicate in sign language. We operate a weekly drop-in advice service in the community i.e. not in the council offices, where housing advisors are present and can make homelessness and other housing queries.
(i) Are any of these restricted in any way? For example, is an applicant required to demonstrate a specific disability in order to be offered certain types of support?
No.
10. How many in-person appointments do you provide daily?
(a) On which days of the week, during what hours and at which locations are in-person appointments available?
All booked for main council offices but may be carried out at home/hospital if required, officers can open up further appointments as needed. These are homelessness assessments, ie once a triage officer has identified that an appointment with a specialist is required.
Monday – 2 (10am, 10.30am)
Tuesday – 3 (10.30am, 11.30am and 2.30pm)
Wednesday – 3 (10.30am, 10.30am, 1pm)
Thursday – 2 (10.30am, 2pm)
Friday – 0 slots, often used when officers need to add additional appointments.
(b) Of the total number of daily in-person appointments you offer to
constituents generally, how many are available for homelessness
applicants?
The above figures are for homelessness applicants only.
(c) On average across the past 6 years, how many people that have presented for in-person appointments each day were offered appointments?
The appointments are pre booked at triage.
11. How do you receive and deal with urgent homelessness applications?
We operate a duty system. There is a triage duty officer each day who will triage those applicants to attend the offices in an emergency, or approach over the telephone, via email or via ‘duty to refer’. If the applicant is homeless imminently then the duty homelessness specialist will make contact, either in the office or via other means depending on the most convenient for the applicant. In most cases if they are not at the office they will be asked to attend. Depending on work load, the full assessment may take place on the same day, otherwise the applicant would be booked into an appointment slot at a later date.
12. Do you offer emergency walk-in slots daily? If yes:
There are no appointment slots for emergency walk ins, applicants are triaged and then seen by the duty officer as and when officers are available. In most cases this is straight away.
(a) How many emergency slots are available each day and on which days of the week?
N/A.
(b) Are these slots solely for homelessness appointments or are they for a range of council services?
N/A.
13. Do you rely on, or direct applicants to, other third party or local authority services for assistance in making a homelessness application? If so:
(a) Please specify the service providers.
Homeless Outreach and Support Team (HOST); Number 5 Hub.
(b) Do you train those service providers on how to assist?
Yes.
(c) For each of these service providers:
(i) What are their hours of operation?
HOST are available 7am-6pm; Number 5 Hub are open 24 hours each day.
(ii) Are there any access restrictions in place? In particular, are they
available on a walk-in basis or do they need to be booked in
advance? If booking is required, what is the process?
Can be seen on a walk-in basis but also by arrangement with the officer depending on availability for both client and officer. In the case of a walk in, they may not be fully assessed immediately but a mutually amenable appointment will be made.
14. Have you received any complaints:
(a) in relation to the process for accessing homelessness support – No.
(b) from anyone who has struggled to access homelessness support due to the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide – No.
(c) from other service providers as a result of the closure of, or restrictions on, face-to-face homelessness services you provide – No.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
Guildford Borough Council
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.