Perhaps you are ready to leave hospital after treatment and don’t feel able to cope in your old home, or this is no longer possible because your circumstances have changed. Or you may be living in a residential care-home but want to become more independent. If so, supported housing could be right for you.

Supported housing offers the help you want, when you need it – whether with your household bills and budget, or getting out and meeting new people. Even if you do not want help with everything, the support we offer can make a big difference.

What is supported housing?

Supported housing is somewhere where you can live independently in a home of your own while receiving regular visits from a Support Worker who will help with matters you find challenging.

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What kind of support will I get?

This depends on your particular needs and interests. Examples of the things Support Workers can help you with include:

• money matters such as paying your rent, or assistance with bills and benefits
• jobs around the house such as shopping, cleaning, preparing your food, doing laundry and so on
• social support – you may want to find out about and get involved in activities in your community
• practical support to manage your medication, find out about your rights, local transport, jobs and so on
• emotional and physical issues – you may need someone to talk to in the event of problems or illness.

Staff will help you access a full range of leisure facilities within the local community. And some supported-housing services also offer the opportunity to get involved in organised activities with other tenants from your block or area. It can be helpful to live near people who have also experienced mental distress, as you can share experiences together.

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What is the accommodation like?

Supported housing is usually in blocks of self-contained flats (with about a dozen flats in each block). Some flats suit two people sharing. Tenants usually have their own bedroom, lounge, bathroom and kitchen, with furniture provided. Many services also have a communal lounge and kitchen, a garden or patio plus an office for the staff.

To help tenants feel secure, flats usually have locks on all the doors and windows as well as entry-phones. Together Support Workers carry identity cards so tenants can feel confident letting them in to their homes.

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Who is supported housing for?

Supported housing is aimed at people with a history of long-term and/or severe mental health problems who need a little extra support in order to live on their own:

• some have experienced a crisis or a stay in hospital
• some find living on their own difficult, perhaps because of illness or problems managing bills, and so on  
• some want to move towards independent living after spending time in a care-home 
• others have lost a carer or source of support.

People who have also been treated for substance-misuse problems may be able to apply for a place. (Similar types of supported housing are often available for other groups of people, such as older people.)

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How does supported housing work?

Once you have been offered a place, a Support Worker from the service will visit you to talk about what support you feel you need. Staff will help you to move in and sort things out when you first arrive, and give you information about how the service works and the local area. They will try to answer any questions you have.

After that, a Support Worker from the team (usually the same person) will visit you regularly to support you with the activities you have agreed on.

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How much support will I receive?

The number and length of the Support Worker’s visits each week will depend on your particular needs. After the worker has talked to you, a written service agreement is drawn up which sets out how often the Support Worker will call, and the nature of the support you require. You can update this agreement regularly as your needs and interests change.

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Who are the Support Workers?

Support Workers come from a wide range of different backgrounds – some may have worked in other mental health services, or supported family or friends with mental health problems. Others may be looking for practical experience while they train for a social work or nursing qualification.

Your Support Worker should be someone you can get on with and relate to. So a good service will ask whether you would prefer a male or a female Support Worker, or want someone who is familiar with your language and culture, or shares your interests. While it may not always be possible to provide a Support Worker who matches all your preferences, Together supported-housing services will do their best to meet your needs.

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How can I get involved in the day-to-day running of the service?

Many supported-housing services hold regular tenants’ meetings where you can raise problems and ideas.

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Do I have to pay rent?

Yes. Supported accommodation is usually owned by local housing trusts, housing associations, councils and social services, who may work in partnership with specialist mental health organisations like Together.

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What type of tenancy will I have?

Supported-housing tenants usually have an assured shorthold tenancy. As with any other tenancy, you may have to meet certain conditions – such as paying your rent, or agreeing to work with the agency that supports you – in order to be able to stay in your home. Tenancies are granted for a limited period, usually six months at a time.

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How can I get a place in supported housing?

If you feel that a supported flat would be right for you, talk to your social worker, community mental health (psychiatric) nurse, doctor, care coordinator or keyworker. Many local community mental health teams deal with supported-housing applications.

You could also contact individual services direct to find out whether they have vacancies, and how to apply.

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What if I already have my own home?

In some areas, community-support services provide similar support to people living in their own homes. To find out if this is available where you live, or to discuss moving into supported housing, talk to your social worker, community mental health (psychiatric) nurse, doctor, care coordinator or keyworker.

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Can I have a pet?

If you want to keep a pet in your supported-housing flat, you will usually need written agreement from whoever runs the service. Permission may be refused if the animal is liable to be a nuisance to your neighbours.

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How long can I use the service?

You can usually stay in your flat until you want to move elsewhere, or for as long as you need the support that is on offer. If you break the conditions of your tenancy agreement, for example by failing to pay your rent, you could be asked to leave. 

Most people living in supported housing are encouraged to move towards greater independence and to find a place of their own in the local community. When you are ready, staff will help you find somewhere else to live, such as a housing-association or council flat. After you move, continuing support from the same Support Worker or a local community-support service may be possible for a period of time.