Affordable housing
Housing options available to residents who cannot afford to rent or buy a home in the open market. Affordable housing includes social rented housing, affordable rent housing and intermediate housing solutions such as shared ownership.
Affordable Rent
Rents offered by Registered Providers of social housing at up to 80% of the rent that would be charged if the property were let in the open market.
Conversion
Aa former social rented property re-let at an affordable rent.
Comprehensive Spending Review
Government review of national public sector spending to plan expenditure over the medium term. Reviews take place every three years.
Equality impact assessment
An equality impact assessment assesses the likely or actual effects of strategies, policies or services on people in respect of disability, gender and racial equality. It helps ensure the needs of people are taken into account when we develop and implement a new strategy, policy or service or make a change to a current strategy, policy or service.
Extra care housing
Housing designed for frailer older people with varying levels of care and support available on site. People who live in Extra Care Housing have their own self contained homes. Extra Care Housing is also known as very sheltered housing, assisted living, or 'housing with care'.
Fixed term tenancy
A tenancy offered for a specified period of time.
General needs accommodation
Accommodation which will meet the needs of households without any specific support needs.
Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)
The national housing and regeneration agency for England, responsible for allocating funding for new affordable housing. A non departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Communities and Local Government. In April 2012 the HCA took over the regulation of Registered Providers from the Tenant Service Authority.
Homelessness duty
A local authority owes the “main homelessness duty” when the authority is satisfied a homeless household is eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and falls within a specified priority need group. When this duty is owed, the authority must ensure suitable accommodation is available for the household.
Housing Register
A list of households who wish to be rehoused by a social landlord including tenants of social landlords who wish to transfer. Often referred to as a waiting list.
Local Housing Allowance
The current form of housing benefit paid to people with low incomes renting in the private sector.
Localism Act
Received royal assent on 15th November 2011.
Market rent
The rental income that at property would most probably command on the open market.
Probationary period
A probationary tenancy (also known as a starter tenancy) is an assured short hold tenancy. It is intended to last for an initial 12 month period.
Registered providers
Organisations that provide affordable housing to those in housing need. Often these providers are housing associations. They are registered with the HCA.
Section 106 Agreement
Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a landowner in association with the granting of planning permission. The obligation is termed a Section 106 Agreement.
Sheltered housing
Housing designed to provide additional support to enable independent living, usually for people over 60. The accommodation is self contained.
Social housing
Housing that is let at low rents and on a secure basis to people in housing need. It is generally provided by councils and not-for-profit organisations such as housing associations.
Social rent
Housing for which guideline target rents are determined through the National Rent Regime. Rents are usually significantly lower than market levels.
Strategic Housing Market Assessment
An assessment of how housing markets operate in defined areas, used to identify housing needs within that area.
Tenancy fraud
There are many types of tenancy misuse, for example not using the property as the ‘sole or principal home’, obtaining a property through false statements and obtaining a property by using false documents.
Tenancy policy
Tenancy policies are a new requirement for Registered Providers and stock holding local authorities introduced by the Homes and Communities Agency.
The policies must outline the providers approach to tenancy management, including interventions to sustain tenancies, prevent unnecessary evictions and tackle tenancy fraud.
Universal Credit
Universal credit will bring together a number of working age benefits into a single payment. It will be implemented gradually from October 2013 to October 2017.