Care homes and housing

Our aim is to enable you to remain living in your own home. If you choose to live in a more supported environment there are a number of options available to you, either self-funded or by meeting Suffolk County Council's eligibility criteria. More information on assessment is available from Customer First.

Supporting People

The Supporting People programme provides some of the services you might need to live independently and includes information on housing related support

Information on how to adapt or change your home to maintain independence allowing you to stay living at home, can be found in the equipment and aids page.  

Types of housing

  • Supported housing

Supported housing is for people who are disabled or vulnerable and who need care and support to live independently. Services can be provided either on-site in a supported housing scheme or as an outreach support service to you wherever you live; these are usually funded by charges to the tenant and/or funding from the county council. 

 For details of supported housing in Suffolk contact your district or borough council or look at the Choice Based Lettings Schemes. A list of supported housing can be found here.

  • Sheltered housing

Sheltered housing is aimed at older people and offers smaller, easier-to-manage accommodation with additional advice and support available either on-site through a warden or through a community-based outreach service.  

  • Very sheltered housing

Very sheltered housing schemes offer 24-hour care and support on site to meet a person's assessed needs. This type of housing allows people with a range of difficulties, disabilities or problems to be supported in self-contained accommodation.  Further information can be found in the booklet Thinking about a move? Thinking about very sheltered housing? (pdf)

  • Residential care homes

Residential care homes provide care and support to people who can no longer live in their own home. They provide services for all disability groups and for people of all ages and have staff on duty 24 hours a day. Increasingly care homes look after people with higher levels of need who require more specialist services such as dementia care. They also offer short-term services such as respite care and intermediate care to support people coming home from hospital.

  • Nursing homes

Nursing homes provide both personal and nursing care and have nursing staff on duty 24 hours a day.

For more information on all kinds of sheltered and supported housing in Suffolk see the following

Choosing and paying for a care home

Click here for information on choosing and paying for a care home.

Council Housing

For more general information on council housing, how to apply for it, rent and rent arrears, repairs and if you are eligible please see the Council housing page. You can apply for council and housing association homes through the Choice Based Lettings Scheme.

Housing Associations

are separate from councils, but often work closely with them to offer flats and houses. For more information on Housing Associations see the Direct Gov website or follow this link for Housing Associations in Suffolk.

Homelessness

If you are homeless or under threat of homelessness, and need advice or assistance, the housing departments of the district and borough councils in Suffolk have legal responsibilities to help you with accommodation.

For details of the help available to you contact your district or borough council. Local housing support charities and other organisations may also be able to help.

Shelter has information to help if you are at risk of having your home repossessed and the Ipswich County Court Advice and Representation Service operates a free duty advice and representation service at Ipswich County Court for housing possession hearings

Other links