Postcode & Geography Glossary

Delivery Point A delivery point is a specific address or letterbox within a postcode unit that Royal Mail delivers to. Incode (Inward Code) The incode is the second half of a UK postcode, comprising one digit and two letters, identifying the sector and delivery point. Large User Postcode A Large User Postcode is a unique postcode assigned to a single high-volume mail recipient. Non-geographic Postcode A postcode not linked to a specific geographic location, used for PO boxes or large organisations. PO Box A PO Box is a numbered mailbox at a Royal Mail delivery office with its own postcode, used instead of a street address. Postcode A postcode is a short alphanumeric code used in the UK to sort and deliver mail, and to identify small geographic areas for planning and data analysis. Postcode Area A postcode area is the first one or two letters of a UK postcode, identifying a region. Postcode Centroid A single coordinate point representing the approximate location of a UK postcode unit. Postcode District (Outcode) The postcode district, or outward code, is the first part of a UK postcode combining the area letter(s) with a number, e.g., SW1A, covering around 3,000 areas. Postcode Sector A postcode sector is the geographic area defined by the outward code and the first digit of the inward code. Postcode Unit A Postcode Unit is the smallest postcode geography in the UK, typically covering around 15 neighbouring addresses. Terminated Postcode A postcode withdrawn from use by Royal Mail but retained in records for historic reference purposes. Vertical Street A vertical street is a tall building where different floors or units carry distinct postcodes, treating it like a street in the postal system.

AddressBase Ordnance Survey's comprehensive address database linking UPRNs, coordinates, postcodes and local authority data. British Forces Post Office (BFPO) A postal service for UK armed forces using its own numbering instead of standard postcodes. Building Name The named element of a property used instead of or alongside a number in UK addresses. Building Number A numeric identifier assigned to a property along a street, used in UK addresses for location and mail delivery. Crown Dependency Postcode Crown Dependency Postcodes are postal codes for Jersey (JE), Guernsey (GY), and the Isle of Man (IM), which are not part of the UK. Delivery Point Suffix (DPS) A two-character code that uniquely identifies each delivery point within a postcode for mail barcoding. Dependent Locality A dependent locality is a village or district named within a post town to distinguish identical street names. Dependent Thoroughfare A minor road named in relation to a main thoroughfare within a UK postal address. Double Dependent Locality A double dependent locality is a finer geographic division used when a dependent locality alone cannot uniquely identify an address. Gazetteer A gazetteer is an indexed directory of place, street or address names with their geographical locations. Multiple Residence Data Royal Mail data listing individual flats and units behind a single shared delivery point. Not Yet Built (NYB) A Postcode Address File flag for addresses under construction that do not yet receive mail. Organisation Name The business or organisation name element of a UK postal address, identifying the recipient entity. Post Town A post town is the mandatory town component Royal Mail uses to route mail correctly in UK addresses. Pseudo Postcode A placeholder postcode that does not refer to a normal geographic location, such as GIR 0AA. Sub-building Name A sub-building name identifies a specific flat, unit or suite within a larger building in UK addresses. Thoroughfare A thoroughfare is the street or road name element of a postal address, identifying the specific public way where a property is located. Unique Delivery Point Reference Number (UDPRN) An eight-digit Royal Mail code uniquely identifying each delivery point in the UK. Unique Multiple Residence Reference Number (UMPRN) A Unique Multiple Residence Reference Number (UMPRN) is Royal Mail's unique identifier for an individual flat or unit within a shared delivery point. Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) A 12-digit unique identifier for every addressable location in Great Britain, maintained by Ordnance Survey. Unique Street Reference Number (USRN) A Unique Street Reference Number (USRN) is the official numeric identifier for every street in Great Britain.

Built-up Area A continuously developed urban area defined by the ONS from buildings and land use, used for statistical geography. Census A decadal national count of population and households, providing definitive small area statistics for the UK. Communal Establishment A Communal Establishment is a shared living facility like care homes or barracks listed in UK postcode records. Data Zone A Data Zone is a small area statistical geography in Scotland, similar to an LSOA, used for census and deprivation data. Household A household is one person or a group living at the same address sharing facilities, the basic census unit alongside people. Intermediate Zone An Intermediate Zone is a Scottish census geography built from Data Zones, similar in scale to an MSOA. Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) A Lower Layer Super Output Area is a small census geography of about 1,500 residents used for UK local statistics. Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA) A Middle Layer Super Output Area (MSOA) is a census geography of roughly 7,200 people, aggregating Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs). Output Area (OA) The smallest census geography in the UK, typically covering around 125 households, forming the foundational unit for all larger statistical areas. Output Area Classification (OAC) The Output Area Classification (OAC) is a UK geodemographic system grouping census output areas by resident characteristics for area profiling. Super Output Area (Northern Ireland) A Super Output Area is a small statistical geography used in Northern Ireland for census data and deprivation analysis. Tenure Tenure describes how a home is occupied, such as owned outright, mortgaged, or rented from social or private landlords. Usual Resident Population The usual resident population is the census count of people who normally live in a given area, forming the standard population base for UK statistics. Workplace Zone A census geography that groups people by their workplace location rather than their home address.

Accommodation Type A census classification of homes: detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat, or caravan. Approximated Social Grade An estimate of the social grade of households derived from census data, used in area classification and market research. Car or Van Availability Car or Van Availability is a census measure of how many vehicles a household has access to. Country of Birth Country of Birth is a census data field recording the nation where each resident was born. Dependency Ratio The ratio of children and older people to the working-age population in a given area. Distance Travelled to Work A census measure showing the straight-line distance between a person's home and workplace postcodes. Economic Activity Economic activity is the census classification of whether a person is employed, unemployed, retired, studying, or otherwise inactive. Ethnic Group Ethnic group is a census classification by which residents describe their ethnicity for statistical and planning purposes. General Health (Census) A Census measure where people rate their health from very good to very bad on a self assessment basis. Highest Level of Qualification A census-derived classification of the highest formal qualification held by each resident, used for area-level analysis. Household Composition Household composition describes the type and relationships of people living together, as classified by the UK census. Household Reference Person The person used to characterise a household in UK census statistics, often the householder. Main Language The census record of a person's main spoken language and their proficiency in English. Method of Travel to Work The census record of how people usually travel to their place of work. Mid-year Population Estimate The mid-year population estimate is the Office for National Statistics' annual projection of the UK population between censuses. National Identity National identity is a census measure of how UK residents describe their sense of belonging, such as British, English, Scottish, Welsh, or other. National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) The National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) is an official system for categorising people by their occupation and employment status, used in census analysis. Occupancy Rating A census measure of whether a home has too few or too many rooms for its household, indicating overcrowding. Population Density The number of residents per unit area, typically per square kilometre or hectare. Provision of Unpaid Care Census data on the number of hours residents spend providing unpaid care to others. Religion (Census) A voluntary census question recording the religion that residents identify with, published for geographic areas. Type of Central Heating A census classification of how a household is heated, used for fuel poverty and energy analysis. Workplace Population Workplace Population is the count of people working in an area, not those living there.

Ceremonial County A geographical area in England, Wales and Scotland with a Lord Lieutenant for ceremonial purposes, often distinct from administrative counties. City Status A ceremonial title granted by the Crown, distinct from local government boundaries. Civil Parish A civil parish is the smallest unit of local government in England, often with a parish or town council. Combined Authority A Combined Authority is a group of councils collaborating across a wider region, often with a directly elected mayor. Community (Wales) The smallest unit of local government in Wales, equivalent to an English civil parish. Council Area (Scotland) One of the 32 unitary local authorities that govern local services in Scotland. Country A country is one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. County A county is a large administrative or historic area, often a tier of local government in the UK. Electoral Division An electoral division is a UK area electing a councillor to a county council, larger than a district ward. Electoral Ward An electoral ward is the basic unit for local elections, represented by one or more councillors. Greater London Authority (GLA) The Greater London Authority is the strategic regional government for London, comprising the Mayor and the London Assembly. Lieutenancy Area A Lieutenancy Area is a UK region with a Lord Lieutenant representing the Crown, usually matching a ceremonial county. Local Authority District A Local Authority District is the principal council area responsible for local services in the UK. Local Government District (Northern Ireland) A local government district is one of 11 administrative areas providing local services in Northern Ireland. London Borough A London Borough is one of 32 local government districts that, with the City of London, form Greater London. Metro Mayor A directly elected mayor leading a combined authority over a city region in England. Metropolitan Borough A type of local government district in England's large urban counties, such as Greater Manchester or the West Midlands. Metropolitan County A large urban county created in 1974, now mainly a geographic and ceremonial label in England. Non-metropolitan District A non-metropolitan district is a local authority in a two-tier area, sharing services with a county council. Parish Council An elected local authority serving a civil parish, the lowest tier of government in England. Precept The additional amount a parish, county or other authority adds to the council tax bill collected on its behalf. Principal Area (Wales) A unitary local authority in Wales, one of 22 principal areas responsible for local government services. Region A region is one of the nine statistical and administrative areas of England, like the North West. Shire County A shire county is a type of county in England with a county council and multiple district councils. Single-tier Authority A single-tier authority is a local council responsible for all services in its area, such as a unitary or metropolitan council. Town Council A Town Council is a parish council that has adopted town status and elects a town mayor. Two-tier Local Government Two-tier local government splits services between a county council and district councils in the same area. Unitary Authority A unitary authority is a single council responsible for all local services in its area, combining county and district functions. Unparished Area An unparished area is a part of England with no civil parish or parish council.

Additional Member System A mixed voting system for the Scottish Parliament and Senedd, combining constituency seats with regional top-up lists. Boundary Commission An independent body that reviews and recommends parliamentary constituency boundaries in the UK. Boundary Review A periodic redrawing of constituency or ward boundaries to keep electorates balanced. By-election A by-election fills a single vacant seat between general elections. Electoral Register The official list of people entitled to vote in an area. First Past the Post A voting system where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins the seat. Marginal Seat A constituency with a small majority that could easily change party at an election. Northern Ireland Assembly Constituency An electoral area in Northern Ireland that elects Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont. Notional Results Notional Results are estimates of past election outcomes under new constituency boundaries, used for comparison in UK redistricting. Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) An elected official responsible for policing and crime strategy in a police force area of England and Wales. Polling District A polling district is a small electoral subdivision of a ward with a designated polling station. Postal Vote A vote sent by post instead of at a polling station, using a postal address. Returning Officer The official responsible for running elections and declaring results in a specific UK constituency or local authority area. Safe Seat A safe seat is a constituency with a large majority that is unlikely to change hands between parties. Scottish Parliament Constituency A Scottish Parliament Constituency is a geographical area that elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to Holyrood. Senedd Constituency A Senedd Constituency is a geographic area in Wales that elects one Member to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament. Single Transferable Vote A proportional voting system used in Northern Ireland and Scottish local elections, where voters rank candidates by preference. Swing Swing measures the percentage change in voter support between two parties from one election to the next. Turnout Turnout is the percentage of registered voters in an area who cast a ballot in an election. Westminster Parliamentary Constituency A geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons.

Best-fit Geography A method of assigning postcodes to geographic areas by selecting the area containing the majority of addresses within that postcode. Exact-fit Geography A method splitting postcodes precisely along administrative boundaries rather than assigning them whole to one area. Frozen Geography A frozen geography is a statistical area kept unchanged over time to enable consistent year-on-year data comparisons. Functional Urban Area A Functional Urban Area is a city plus its surrounding commuting zone, defining economic and social integration. Grid Square A square cell of the National Grid, often one kilometre, used to summarise data evenly across the land. International Territorial Level (ITL) The International Territorial Level (ITL) is the UK's statistical geography hierarchy for regional data, replacing NUTS after Brexit. Locality A locality is a named smaller place like a village or suburb within a wider town or district. Major Towns and Cities Major Towns and Cities are larger built-up areas in England and Wales defined by the ONS for statistical purposes. NUTS NUTS was a European statistical geography hierarchy for regions, replaced in the UK by the ITL system. Quintile A quintile divides a ranked dataset into five equal groups, each containing 20 percent of the data. Rural-Urban Classification A scheme classifying small areas as urban or rural based on settlement size and population density. Settlement A named place where people live, from a hamlet to a city, often defined by its built-up area. Travel to Work Area A Travel to Work Area is a statistical geography defined by commuting patterns, where most residents both live and work.

Barriers to Housing and Services Domain A component of deprivation indices measuring access to housing and local services. Crime Domain A Crime Domain measures the risk of personal and material crime within a deprivation index for a given area. Deprivation Decile A deprivation decile groups areas into ten equal bands from most to least deprived, with decile 1 being the most deprived. Deprivation Rank The position of an area in a deprivation index, where rank 1 is the most deprived. Deprivation Score A deprivation score is a numeric measure of area disadvantage used to rank and classify small geographies. Education, Skills and Training Domain A deprivation index component measuring area-level low qualifications and skills. Employment Deprivation Domain A measure of involuntary exclusion from work within a deprivation index. Health Deprivation and Disability Domain Part of the Index of Multiple Deprivation measuring poor health and disability levels in small areas. Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) A measure of the proportion of children under 16 in an area living in income-deprived families. Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI) A measure of the proportion of older people in a small area living in income-deprived households. Income Deprivation Domain A measure within the Index of Multiple Deprivation showing the proportion of people on low incomes or benefits in an area. Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) Index of Multiple Deprivation: England's official measure of relative deprivation for small areas, combining income, employment, health, education and more. Living Environment Domain A deprivation index component measuring housing quality and local environmental conditions. Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure The official measure of deprivation in Northern Ireland, ranking Super Output Areas based on multiple domains. Relative Deprivation Relative deprivation measures poverty by comparing areas against each other, not a fixed line. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) is Scotland's official measure of area-based deprivation, ranking Data Zones from most to least deprived. Vigintile A vigintile is one of twenty equal groups used to rank areas in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) is Wales' official measure of relative deprivation for small areas.

Acute Trust An NHS trust that runs hospitals providing urgent and planned hospital care. Ambulance Trust An NHS trust providing emergency and patient transport ambulance services for a specific region. Care Quality Commission (CQC) The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) A former NHS body that planned local health services in England, replaced by Integrated Care Boards in 2022. GP Practice A GP Practice is a local medical facility where patients register to receive primary healthcare services from general practitioners. Health and Social Care Partnership (Scotland) A Health and Social Care Partnership in Scotland is a local body that jointly manages NHS and council care services for a specific area. Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland) A Health and Social Care Trust is a Northern Ireland public body delivering integrated health and social care services. Integrated Care Board (ICB) An NHS body that plans and funds health services for a defined area of England, replacing CCGs in 2022. Integrated Care System (ICS) An Integrated Care System is a partnership of NHS and local council bodies planning health and care across an English region. Local Health Board (Wales) A Local Health Board is the organisation responsible for planning and delivering NHS services in a specific area of Wales. Mental Health Trust An NHS trust responsible for delivering mental health and community-based healthcare services within a defined geographic area. NHS Foundation Trust An NHS trust with greater independence and local accountability in England. NHS Health Board An NHS Health Board is the body responsible for planning and delivering NHS services in a specific area of Scotland or Wales. NHS Trust An NHS Trust is a public body that runs hospitals or community health services for a specific area. Primary Care Network (PCN) A Primary Care Network is a group of neighbouring GP practices in England that collaborate to provide local healthcare services. Primary Care Trust (PCT) Former NHS organisation in England that commissioned local health services until 2013, organised by geographic area. Sub ICB Location A Sub ICB Location is a local NHS planning subdivision within an Integrated Care Board in England.

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a protected landscape designation, now often called a National Landscape, in the UK. Coroner Area A Coroner Area is a jurisdiction where a coroner investigates certain deaths. Fire and Rescue Authority A Fire and Rescue Authority is the local government body responsible for delivering fire and rescue services in a defined area. Local Justice Area A Local Justice Area is a geographic region served by a group of magistrates' courts in England and Wales. National Park A National Park is a protected countryside area with a dedicated authority managing planning and conservation. Police Force Area A Police Force Area is the geographic region served by a single territorial police force, such as Greater Manchester Police. Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) A protected area in the UK notified for its wildlife, geology, or landform value.

Bearing A bearing is the direction from one point to another, measured in degrees clockwise from north. Bounding Box The smallest rectangle of latitude and longitude fully containing an area, used to speed up spatial searches. British National Grid The British National Grid is a coordinate system used by Ordnance Survey to map Great Britain. Centroid The centroid is the geometric centre of a postcode area or geographic region, used for mapping and analysis. Decimal Degrees Decimal Degrees expresses latitude and longitude as plain decimal numbers, used widely in digital mapping and data files. Degrees, Minutes and Seconds Degrees, Minutes and Seconds: a traditional sexagesimal system for expressing latitude and longitude coordinates. Easting and Northing Easting and northing are coordinate values measuring metres east and north from a fixed origin on the British National Grid. Elevation The height of a location above sea level, influencing flood risk and terrain characteristics. ETRS89 A European coordinate reference system fixed to the stable continent, closely aligned with WGS84 and used for precise spatial data across Europe. Geocoding Geocoding converts a UK postcode or address into precise geographic coordinates. Geodetic Datum A geodetic datum is a reference framework that precisely defines how coordinate positions map to the real surface of the Earth. Geoid The geoid is the true equipotential surface of Earth's gravity field used as the reference for measuring heights. Great-circle Distance The shortest path between two points on a sphere, used to calculate straight-line distances on Earth's surface. Haversine Formula The Haversine Formula calculates the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere, used for postcode distance calculations in the UK. Latitude and Longitude Latitude and longitude form a global angular coordinate system used to pinpoint any location on Earth, including UK postcodes. Map Projection A map projection is a mathematical method of representing the curved Earth on a flat map, inevitably introducing some distortion. National Grid Letters Two-letter prefixes like TQ or SJ that identify each 100 km square of the British National Grid. Ordnance Survey Grid Reference A grid reference is an alphanumeric code identifying a specific location on the Ordnance Survey National Grid. OSGB36 OSGB36 is the Ordnance Survey Great Britain 1936 datum used for the British National Grid. Plus Codes Plus Codes are open digital location codes that work without a street address, based on latitude and longitude. Reference Ellipsoid A reference ellipsoid is a smooth mathematical surface approximating Earth's shape, used for accurate mapping and positioning. Reverse Geocoding Reverse geocoding converts geographic coordinates into a readable address or nearest place name. Transverse Mercator Transverse Mercator is a map projection that forms the basis of the British National Grid, used for accurate coordinate mapping in the UK. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) A global map coordinate system dividing Earth into 60 numbered zones, used for precise location referencing. WGS84 WGS84 is the global coordinate reference system used by GPS and most web maps. What3words A geocode system that identifies every three-metre square globally with a unique combination of three words.

ATCO Code A unique 13-character alphanumeric identifier for a public transport stop in Great Britain, used in national datasets. Bus Stop (Data) A public transport access point recorded in NaPTAN with a unique code and geographic coordinates. CRS Station Code A three-letter code identifying UK railway stations for ticketing and passenger information systems. National Public Transport Gazetteer (NPTG) The National Public Transport Gazetteer is the official directory of UK towns and settlements for organising public transport information. Railway Station (Data) A railway station in data is a geocoded point identified by station codes, linked to postcodes and geography. TIPLOC TIPLOC is a railway industry code for timing point locations, used to identify stations and junctions. Travel Concession Authority The local body responsible for administering free and discounted travel schemes for eligible residents.

Boundary-Line A free Ordnance Survey dataset mapping administrative and electoral boundaries across Great Britain. Code-Point Open Code-Point Open is a free Ordnance Survey dataset providing a single grid reference for every postcode unit in Great Britain. Code-Point with Polygons An Ordnance Survey product providing digital boundary polygons for each postcode unit in the UK. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) An Energy Performance Certificate rates a property's energy efficiency from A to G, required when sold or let. Food Hygiene Rating The Food Hygiene Rating is a score from 0 to 5 awarded by the Food Standards Agency to UK food businesses based on hygiene standards. Get Information About Schools (GIAS) GIAS is the Department for Education's official register of every school and college in England, linked to postcodes for location and area analysis. HM Land Registry Price Paid Data HM Land Registry Price Paid Data is the official record of property sales in England and Wales. INSPIRE INSPIRE is a European framework for sharing spatial data, used by HM Land Registry for property polygons. Land Registry INSPIRE Polygons Freely available property boundary polygons from HM Land Registry under the INSPIRE Directive, showing land parcel extents. Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) A Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG) is a council's authoritative address list that feeds the national gazetteer. National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) The NLPG is the national master list of addresses compiled from local council gazetteers, underpinning UPRNs. National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) A national dataset of public transport access points such as bus stops and railway stations. National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) The National Statistics Postcode Lookup links current postcodes to census and administrative geographies using best fit methods. Office for National Statistics (ONS) The UK's largest producer of official statistics, including the census and postcode geography. ONS Postcode Directory (ONSPD) The ONS Postcode Directory is a database linking every UK postcode to administrative, health and statistical geographies. Open Government Licence The Open Government Licence is the UK government's standard licence permitting free use and reuse of public sector information with attribution. Ordnance Survey Great Britain's national mapping agency providing grid references and detailed geographic data. OS MasterMap Ordnance Survey's highly detailed digital map of Great Britain's topography, used for geographic analysis and referencing. OS Open Names OS Open Names is a free gazetteer of place names, road names and postcodes, published by Ordnance Survey. OS Open UPRN OS Open UPRN is a free Ordnance Survey dataset listing every Unique Property Reference Number with coordinates. Postcode Address File (PAF) The Postcode Address File is Royal Mail's master database of every UK postcode and the addresses within it. Standard Area Measurement (SAM) Standard Area Measurement (SAM) is the official ONS measure of land area for statistical geographies in the UK. TOID A TOID is a unique reference number assigned by Ordnance Survey to every feature in OS MasterMap.

Business Rates Business Rates are a tax on most non-domestic properties in the UK, based on their rateable value. Commonhold Commonhold is a form of freehold ownership for flats in England and Wales, where each unit is owned outright and common parts are jointly managed. Conservation Area A designated area with extra planning controls to protect its historic or architectural character. Conveyancing Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from seller to buyer, involving checks and documentation. Council Tax Band A band from A to H that determines the amount of council tax a home pays, based on its 1991 value. Display Energy Certificate (DEC) A Display Energy Certificate shows the actual energy use of a large public building. Flood Zone A Flood Zone is a land classification based on flood risk from rivers or the sea, used in UK planning. Freehold and Leasehold Freehold means owning a property and the land outright; leasehold means owning the property for a fixed term but not the land. Green Belt Green Belt is protected open land around urban areas where development is tightly restricted. Ground Rent Ground rent is a periodic payment from a leaseholder to a freeholder for the land under a property. House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) A property rented to three or more unrelated people sharing facilities, often requiring a licence. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) The Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is a property purchase tax in Scotland, replacing UK Stamp Duty Land Tax. Land Transaction Tax (Wales) Land Transaction Tax is the devolved tax on property purchases in Wales, replacing Stamp Duty Land Tax. Listed Building A building legally protected in the UK for its special architectural or historic interest. New Build A newly constructed residential property sold for the first time, flagged separately in UK property data. Property Type A property type categorises a home as detached, semi-detached, terraced or flat in UK sales data. Rateable Value Rateable Value is the official estimated rental value of a business property, used to calculate business rates in the UK. Right to Buy A UK scheme allowing council tenants to buy their home at a discounted price. Service Charge A service charge is a fee leaseholders pay for maintaining shared parts of a building. Shared Ownership A home-buying scheme where you purchase a share and pay rent on the remainder. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) A tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland above a price threshold. Title Number A unique reference assigned by HM Land Registry to a registered piece of land or property. Valuation Office Agency (VOA) The Valuation Office Agency is the UK government body responsible for setting council tax bands and business rates valuations.