Extra care

Extra care is sometimes known as assisted living or sheltered housing. This is when you own, rent or part-rents your own purpose-built home within a scheme that also provides communal spaces and care support. Our extra care services are commissioned by local authorities and are available to people living at, or moving to, selected schemes.

Living in your own self-contained, fully accessible and modern home enables you to maintain your independence whilst benefiting from optional, bespoke care and support packages. Any care and support you need is built around you and delivered by our team of on-site professional caregivers. If you live with a partner who has additional care needs this can also be accommodated allowing you to continue living together.

Unlike home care, extra care offers a living environment tailored to your care needs and fitted with emergency alarms. In addition to flexible visits, extra care provides the added reassurance of an on-site care team available 24/7, making it the ideal middle ground between living at home and moving into a care home.

We’re proud that the CQC has rated and regulated all of our extra care schemes.

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. They inspect and regulate all fully managed care services, including our extra care schemes. Each inspection asked five key questions: Are they safe? Are they effective? Are they caring? Are they responsive to people’s needs? And are they well-led?

All reports can be found on the CQC website. This level of quality assurance is not possible from an introductory agency which simply puts you in touch with a care worker. Our fully managed service is not only regulated, but quality assured by a team of care professionals who are there to support you and oversee your care.

Both home care and extra care provide flexible care visits to you in your own home. However, with extra care you also benefit from a living accommodation specifically designed to support you as your needs increase. This includes fully accessible rooms, a built in emergency alarm system, and 24-hour on-site support.

Extra care is the middle ground between home care and a care home. It allows you to continue living in a home of your own, with your own privacy and possessions. You can benefit from flexible care visits from the on-site team and make use of the communal spaces such as lounges, restaurant and gardens.

Unlike home care, where you may become isolated in your own home, extra care encourages community engagement and socialisation through regular planned activities for tenants to join in with and a restaurant for communal dining.

With extra care, you get all the benefits of at home support and more. It ensures you have the right support whatever your needs, ranging from personal care to companionship; all while relaxing, safe in the knowledge that emergency support is available 24/7 should you need it.

Many of our extra care schemes allow you to continue living with your pets in your new home.

Extra care is all about companionship. Whether its communal spaces and activities, enjoying regular visits from family, or living with your pets, you can continue to enjoy regular company in a home specially adapted to your needs.

If you already live in an extra care scheme and would like to welcome a pet into your home, please ask your service manager for permission.

To qualify as eligible to move into an extra care scheme, you or your partner usually needs to be over the age of 55.

Extra care is perfectly suited to those who are currently able to live independently but require support with care needs, such as personal care, cooking or household tasks. We offer flexible care support delivered by our on-site care team which can adapt to your changing needs. The apartments are also adapted aid mobility and provide easy access and are fitted with emergency alarms should you need immediate support.

With extra care, you can enjoy retirement knowing that the right support is always on hand should you need it.

The cost of extra care will vary depending on whether you are renting or buying your accommodation, the scheme you choose and the level of care you require.

Typically, extra care costs are significantly lower than the cost of a care home where fees can start at £895 per week. This is because you pay only for the care you need. Rather than paying a flat fee for 24-hour care, in extra care you pay per hour or care used, with flexible visits that can increase or decrease based on your needs.

You may be able to get help with your rent and/or service charges through Housing Benefit (if you are renting) or Pension Credit (if you own your own home). Help with council tax and the cost of care may also be available through your local authority.