What is Supported Living in Health and Social Care?

Introduction 
Supported living helps people live in their own home (alone or with others) with tailored support to stay independent. Crucially, housing and support are separate: the person holds a tenancy or licence for their home, and support is arranged under a separate agreement. The focus is on choice, control and ordinary community life.  

Key features 

• Own home, real rights: People are tenants/leaseholders with the same rights and responsibilities as any other citizen (paying rent/bills, choosing who enters their home).  

• Flexible support: Help ranges from a few hours a week to 24/7, covering daily living, community access, work/education and wellbeing.  

• Choice and control: Services should maximise independence and uphold dignity, privacy and human rights, especially for autistic people and people with a learning disability.  

Registration (England) 
CQC regulates the care provided in supported living, not the housing. If a service provides the regulated activity “personal care”, the provider must register with CQC; if no personal care is provided, CQC registration is not required. The accommodation and care agreements must remain separate. Homecare delivered into supported living must be provided by a CQC-registered agency.  

Quality expectations 
CQC expects models of care that promote choice, control and independence (“Right support, right care, right culture”). Leaders and staff should create cultures where people are confident, included and empowered, with genuine access to their local communities.  

Practical tips for teams 

• Keep tenancy and support paperwork clearly separate; involve the person in decisions about their home.  

• Use person-centred planning and Active Support to build everyday skills and participation. (See Skills for Care/SCIE resources.)  

• Evidence how your support promotes independence, relationships and community life—these are central to inspections.  

References 

• NHS – Supported living services (overview & regulation). nhs.uk 

• CQC – Housing with care (supported living) guidance; Right support, right care, right culture. Care Quality Commission

• CQC – How we regulate services for autistic people and people with a learning disability. Care Quality Commission 

• SCIE – Supported living (overview); models & tenancies. SCIE

• NDTi – The Real Tenancy Test (tenancy rights in supported accommodation). NDTi 

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