Glossary of terms

Alabaré

Spanish for 'I will praise'.

Black Minority Ethnic (BME)

A term commonly used to refer to all people who are members of minority ethnic communities, including Gypsy and Traveller communities.

Complex needs

A person who has several needs that are interrelated and need to be addressed together.

Floating support

This kind of support is "attached" to the person, not the property and can follow a service user if they move to another address. It only lasts for as long as the client needs it, then "floats away". The client does not have to live at a certain address to receive the support.

Housing Benefit

A means tested state benefit paid to council or private tenants who need help paying their rent.

Housing related support

Support specifically aimed at helping people to establish themselves, or stay in, their own homes. Examples of housing related support include helping people to manage their money, apply for benefits, keep their home secure, access other services.

Independent living

A social movement asserting that people with disabilities should have the same civil rights and life choices as people without disabilities.

Local Area Agreement (LAA)

Agreements made between Government and local public sector organisations on priorities and delivery targets.

Managing Agent

A managing agent is an organisation providing housing management services (such as collecting rent) on behalf of another body, often a Registered Social Landlord. The managing agent may also provide the support services.

Move On support

Housing related support to help people settle into a more independent environment when they are leaving an accommodation-based support or care service.

Move On accommodation

Low level supported housing to help people manage the transition between high level supported accommodation or care services and independent, main stream accommodation in the community.

Quality Assurance Framework (QAF)

Providers self assess their service against national objectives (such as consulting service users on how they want the service to be run). The Supporting People team use the results as part of the benchmarking process, with the aim of continually improving the quality of services.

Registered care home

An establishment providing accommodation with personal or nursing care.

Registered Social Landlord (RSL)

A non profit-making voluntary group, generally a Housing Association, formed to provide affordable housing.

Service user

Someone who is accessing support services.

Supported Accommodation/Housing

The broad term used to describe housing where people receive support to live in their own homes. This support is comprised of services provided to vulnerable people, which are designed to develop the skills and confidence necessary to live independently without support or to maintain independent living with ongoing support.

Supported Employment

A term used to describe a system of support for people with disabilities to access mainstream employment. Supported employment provides assistance such as job coaches, job development, job retention, transportation, assistive technology, specialized job training, and individually tailored supervision. Supported Employment often refers to both the development of employment opportunities and on-going support for those individuals to maintain employment.

Supporting People (SP)

Government grant administered by local authorities.  The grant is provided for support services for vulnerable people to improve their quality of life and to enable them to live independently.

Supporting People Programme

The programme came into effect on the 1 April 2003, and pays for all services providing housing related support. Services are monitored on their relevance, quality, performance and cost.

Supporting People Grant

Money from the government to pay for housing related support services under the Supporting People programme.

Support provider

The organisation providing housing-related support services paid for by Supporting People. Organisation types include Registered Social Landlords, voluntary sector organisations, local authorities, charities and the private sector.

Support service

A service eligible for funding through Supporting People. This could include advice on maintaining a tenancy, help with filling in forms, help with keeping accommodation safe and secure, etc.

Temporary housing

Accommodation provided by local authority housing departments for people who have made an application for housing under homeless legislation, this includes B&B and hostels.

Vulnerable people

A person or group is vulnerable when support is required to enable or promote independent living and safe and active participation in the community.