1. Please can you send us copies of all documents currently used by your housing officers to conduct these housing affordability assessments (such as guidance notes, briefings, training sessions and template forms). If any of these documents are already in the public domain, please can you send a link to where we can retrieve these exact documents? These documents could include (but not be limited to):
a) Guidance for housing officers on how to carry out affordability assessments;
b) Training materials on how to assess affordability;
c) Template income and expenditure forms;
d) Details of what costs are regarded as essential living needs; and
e) Costs of essential living needs, for different family types, used in affordability assessments.

2. If not included in the above documents, please can you send us the following information:
a) A list of items that are regarded as essential living needs, for the purpose of assessing affordability; and
b) A list of costs of essential living needs, for different family types, that are used for the purpose of assessing affordability.
The Rental Income Team (who manage the council owned homes), complete Income and Expenditure assessments using the Budget Planner provided by The Money Advice Service.

The link is here and we use the Budget Planner through their website so budget plans are consistent for each tenant. The household bills section of the Budget planner captures costs as per question 2.