Glossary

Nightshelter

Accommodation for homeless people, usually allocated on a day-to-day basis. Occupiers are usually required to vacate the accommodation during the day.

Pre-tenancy determination

An indication of the maximum amount of housing benefit that is likely to be paid for rented accommodation, which can be applied for before deciding whether to take on a tenancy. This can help people to avoid having to make up large shortfalls in housing benefit due to rent restrictions.

Priority need

Certain categories of people have a priority need for accommodation under the homelessness legislation. See the page on priority need for more information.

Privately rented accommodation

Any accommodation rented from a landlord who is a private person or company, in contrast to social housing, where accommodation is rented from a council or registered social landlord (for example, a housing association).

Public funding

Funding from Community Legal Advice for legal help and/or representation. Formerly called Legal Aid.

Reason to believe

An indication, before any inquiries have been made, that a homeless applicant may be homeless, eligible for assistance, or in priority need.

Relevant child

A young person aged 16 or 17 who has left care, and who was looked after for (a total of) at least 13 weeks from the age of 14, and has been looked after at some time while they were 16 or 17.

Relevant student

A care leaver under the age of 24 who is in full-time higher education or residential further education. When term-time accommodation is not available to a relevant student during the holidays, housing them remains the responsibility of social services.

Referral

1. Generally, transferring a person's case to another organisation.

2. In the context of homelessness law, a council's transferring a full housing duty to another council, where the applicant has no local connection with the first council.

Review

If someone makes a homelessness application, and s/he does not agree with the council's decision as to what duty s/he is owed, then s/he has the right to appeal against the decision. An appeal against a decision is called a review of the decision. See the page on homelessness reviews for more information.

Settled accommodation

Accommodation that is not temporary. If a council have a full housing duty, they will eventually have to offer the applicant settled accommodation.

Sleeping rough

Not having accommodation. Includes sleeping on the streets, in open buildings (for example, a car park), in a tent, or in a vehicle.

Social services

The local government department (usually part of the county council, but sometimes part of the borough, district, or city council) responsible for providing services to children and vulnerable adults.

Supported accommodation

Accommodation where support is provided to help residents manage. There will often be a charge on top of the rent for the support. Most supported accommodation projects for young people are Foyers.

Supported lodgings

Short-term accommodation for homeless young people in a trained person's home.

Temporary accommodation

Accommodation offered to a homeless applicant after a decision is made on their application. If a full housing duty has been accepted, the duty on the council to offer temporary accommodation will normally continue until the applicant is offered settled accommodation. If the decision is that the applicant is intentionally homeless, the duty will continue for a period of time to give the applicant the opportunity to secure accommodation for themselves. If the decision is that the applicant has no local connection, then the duty will continue until the applicant is referred to another authority.

Vulnerable person

Under the homelessness legislation, vulnerable people may have a priority need for accommodation. See the page on priority need for more information.

Young person

A person aged between 16 and 25 years old.

Page 2 of 2 | Previous | Next