Glossary
The following section provides further information about the terms and projects that we are running on Go Vocal.
Please scroll down to view the definitions of certain terms and acronyms used within our projects:
Adapted social housing
Properties that were not originally designed with disabled access or use in mind, but have since been altered to accommodate these requirements.
Affordable housing
This includes homes for sale (such as Shared Ownership or First Homes schemes) or rent (such as Affordable, Intermediate or Social Rent) and is for people whose needs are not met by the private market. Affordable housing is a key part of national Government's plan to end the housing crisis, tackle homelessness and provide aspiring homeowners a step onto the housing ladder.
Affordable Housing Delivery Pipeline
A range of sites suitable for development (including for the development of affordable homes)
Better Care Fund
The Better Care Fund (BCF) programme supports local systems to successfully deliver the integration of health and social care in a way that supports person-centred care, sustainability and better outcomes for people and carers. It is a collaboration of The Department of Health and Social Care, The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, NHS England and The Local Government Association, which seeks to help local areas plan and implement health care in a co-ordinated manner. For more information, visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/part-rel/transformation-fund/better-care-fund/
Climate Change and Environment Strategy
The purpose of this strategy is to provide a clear statement of the Council’s climate change and environment objectives and identify priorities that will drive action and promote accountability. This was adopted in September 2021 and can be found at www.havant.gov.uk/climate-change-and-environment.
Corporate Strategy
The Corporate Strategy defines the direction the council will take, and how all of its services will work towards agreed goals and aspirations. It helps the council work effectively and coherently, whilst clearly allowing others to see the reasons behind the council’s work. To view this strategy, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/corporate-strategy.
Disabled Facility Grant
Disabled Facilities Grants can help meet the cost of making changes to the home to enable someone to live safely and independently. People of all ages and tenures can apply to their local council for a grant. For more information on DFGs, please visit https://www.havant.gov.uk/housing.
Discounted Market Sale
Discount Market Sale (DMS) is a low cost home ownership product where a new build property is purchased at a discounted price. The scheme is to help low and middle earners get onto the property ladder.
DLUHC
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is a government department that supports communities across the UK by investing in local areas to drive growth, create jobs, and deliver the homes our country needs. They support our local communities and faith groups, and oversee local government, planning, and building safety.
Empty Properties
Properties that are vacant and substantially unfurnished are known as empty. If they remain empty and unfurnished for two or more years they will become long term empty properties
Empty Property Strategy
The Empty Property Strategy seeks to introduce measures that will reduce the number of long-term empty properties in the borough, encourage owners to participate in bringing homes back into use and assist with schemes to make empty homes decent amongst other objectives. The strategy can be viewed at www.havant.gov.uk/housing.
Energy efficiency
The use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Energy-efficient homes and buildings use less energy to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics, and energy-efficient manufacturing facilities use less energy to produce goods.
Exempt Accommodation
Exempt accommodation is accommodation that is exempt from Housing Benefit limits set in legislation. This means Housing Benefit, may cover the full amount of rent charged by providers.
First Homes
First Homes are a specific kind of discounted market sale housing and should be considered to meet the definition of ‘affordable housing’ for planning purposes.
Homeless
As defined by the Housing Act 1996, an individual is homeless if, for example, they are at risk of violence or domestic abuse, have no legal right to occupy their accommodation, have accommodation but it is not reasonable for them to continue to occupy it or they have no accommodation and therefore may be sleeping rough
Homelessness
This is when a household may become homeless within 56 days. This could be due to being served a valid notice or eviction on the current property they are living in.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy
Havant Borough Council conducted a review and developed its own homelessness strategy which sets out an action plan for achieving homelessness related objectives. This will be an important document alongside the Housing Strategy. To view this strategy, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/our-organisation/strategy-policy-and-performance.
Homes England
Homes England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. As the government's housing & regeneration agency, their function is to enable the development of affordable, quality homes, in well-designed places. To make this happen they draw on their land & capital assets, and their expertise.
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
A property rented out by at least 3 people who are not from 1 'household' (for example a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. It's sometimes called a 'house share'.
Housing Association / Provider
See details for Registered Provider
Housing Benefit
For many groups Housing Benefit (paid by the local authority), which can help people pay their rent if they are unemployed, on a low income or claiming other welfare benefits, has been replaced by Universal Credit (paid by the Department for Work and Pensions). However if someone is in supported, sheltered, or temporary accommodation they can still claim Housing Benefit.
Housing Benefit Exemption
See details for Exempt Accommodation
Housing choices / solutions / products
To provide different types of housing to meet the needs of different people e.g. affordable housing, and supported housing
Housing Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) looks at complaints about registered providers of social housing, for example housing associations, and other landlords, managers and agents. The service is free, independent and impartial.
Housing Register
The housing register is the list of people who qualify for affordable housing and are waiting to be offered a property.
Housing standards
A property will be 'fit for human habitation' if it meets the factors listed in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. These include repair, stability, damp & mould, energy efficiency, natural lighting, ventilation, water supply, drainage and sanitary conveniences, and facilities for preparation and cooking of food and the disposal of waste water.
Housing Strategy
This is a document produced by Havant Borough Council that sets out how we seek to address the housing challenges in the borough over the next five years and detail the actions we will undertake to meet this vision.
Integrated Care Board
Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are NHS organisations responsible for planning health services for their local population.
Local Plan
The Local Plan is a key document that forms the starting point in every planning decision. The Plan sets out the vision for future development in the Borough, identifies what areas should be developed, and what requirements and standards developers should meet in their proposals.
Every area in England and Wales should have an up-to-date Local Plan in place and review it at least every five years. The council is preparing a new Local Plan - entitled the ‘The Building a Better Future Plan’ - which will set out how the borough should be developed into the future.
For more information, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/localplan.
Medium Term Financial Strategy
The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) sets out the projected council expenditure and funding over a period covering the next five years. To view more information about council budgets, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/our-organisation/budgets-and-spending.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapists work with people of all ages and can look at all aspects of daily life in the home, school or workplace. They look at activities people find difficult and see if there's another way they can be done, or what adaptions need to be made, especially to the home, to enable people to be more independent.
Planning Practice Guidance
These set out the government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The guidance is issued in association with the National Planning Policy Framework
Prevention Duty
As the local authority for the Borough of Havant, we are required by law to make enquiries into what duties (i.e. actions the council undertakes) may be owed to someone who is at risk of homelessness - this seeks to meet the ultimate aim of preventing an individual or household from becoming homeless.
Private sector housing
Homes that are owner occupied or rented from a private landlord, not from a local authority or Registered Provider.
Private Sector Housing Team
A team whose primary aim is to try to ensure that residents in private sector housing are living in accommodation that is well maintained, safe and warm.
Regeneration Strategy
The Regeneration Strategy sets out the economic case and opportunities for regeneration in the Borough of Havant. To view this strategy, please visit www.havant.gov.uk/regeneration.
Registered Providers
A Registered Provider is a social landlord/housing association who provides affordable housing, and is regulated by The Regulator of Social Housing.
Rented housing stock
Rented property in both the private rented sector, and that owned and managed by Registered Providers
Rough Sleeping
Rough sleeping is one of the most visible types of homelessness. Rough sleeping includes sleeping outside or in places that aren't designed for people to live in, including cars, doorways and abandoned buildings.
Shared ownership
When you buy a home through Shared Ownership, you initially buy a share between 10% and 75% of the home's full market value, and pay rent to the landlord for the share they own. You can buy more shares in your home in the future, this is known as 'staircasing'. If you buy more shares you will pay less rent. The amount of rent you pay will be based on the landlords share.
Social Housing
Social Housing can be rented from housing associations or councils at reduced rents, or it can be part-sold, part-rented as Shared Ownership. It exists to help people who can't afford to rent or buy a home on the open market, and is usually built with some government funding support.
Solent Local Enterprise Partnership
The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was formed after the Government offered local areas the opportunity to take control of their future economic development. It is a locally-owned partnership between businesses and local authorities and plays a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs.
Specialist Housing
Housing with support provided to residents by a specialist provider (for example help with addiction, disability or mental health). This could be in the form of support such as counselling, health advice, supervision and advice.
Stable housing Solutions
A tenancy in a private rental property or with a Registered Provider (Housing Association)
Standard Method
The standard method uses a formula to identify the minimum number of homes expected to be planned for in a local area, in a way that addresses projected household growth and historic under-supply.
Supported housing
The government defines supported housing as accommodation provided alongside support, supervision or care to help people live as independently as possible in the community. Individuals using supported housing include: older people, people with a learning disability, people with mental health conditions, and people with physical disabilities. Support can come in a range of forms, such as specialist equipment, home adaptations, support with domestic tasks and meals, and personal care.
Temporary Accommodation
When the council accept a homelessness duty, an applicant might be given ‘temporary accommodation’ until the Housing team can find a longer term home. A stay in temporary accommodation may be for a long time depending on the supply of permanent homes. These can come in the form of traditional bed and breakfasts, accommodation with shared facilities or self-contained units.
Viable sites
A viable site is one where a viability assessment has shown that a site is financially viable; it looks at whether the value generated by a development is more than the cost of developing it. This includes looking at the key elements of gross development value, costs, land value, landowner premium, and developer return.