Our supported living services

What is supported living?

Supported living at Lifeways (or supportive living) is a service that helps vulnerable adults and people living with complex needs to retain their independence, whilst still having that extra physical and emotional support needed to lead completely fulfilled lives in their own homes. 

Usually, people living in supportive housing have their own tenancy and live in designated housing provided by a specialist organisation, but still have full control over all their bills, household chores and other responsibilities that are involved with living in their own home. Support is provided separately to maximise their independence and if they have particular wishes or needs, to support them in achieving their goals.

Lifeways have different supported living accommodation options across the UK.

Our support

We provide supported living for vulnerable adults across the UK living with one or a combination of conditions, which may include learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries or mental health needs. 

Our supported living services allow people living with complex conditions to live in their own homes in the community, whilst being supported to increase or maintain their level of independence.

All of our support is designed around the individual needs and wishes of each person by our dedicated and specialist teams. Our teams have specialist training, allowing them to capably and confidently deliver the highest quality service for the people we support.

One of the main benefits of opting for supported living is the freedom and independence it provides. You'll have your own space to relax and call home, but the reassurance of extra support if needed. As well as independence and freedom, you’ll be able to live with a mix of people whilst playing an active part in your local community. 

What is moving into supported living like?

A move into supported living can be the first time someone has left their family home or taken a step towards greater independence, and so we're here to provide friendly encouragement and emotional support to make the transition as smooth, positive and rewarding as possible.

When you choose supported living, you’re choosing to live independently, safe and secure behind your own front door. There’s peace of mind in knowing the Lifeways team is on-hand, providing tailored support that helps people to lead more fulfilling lives. We also provide support to families to ensure that the transition is not only smooth for the individual but also their families.

What is supported living like with Lifeways?

Supported living is designed to help people live happy lives filled with ambition. Whether it's learning a new life skill such as cooking or money management, having the confidence to take up a new hobby or make new friends, or taking the first step into volunteering or employment, we're here to support and encourage each goal, however big or small. 

We know that it's really important to have the right support network beside you, so we make sure to carefully match our support team with each person, considering our team's skills, knowledge and specialism, along with personality traits, hobbies and interests to make sure that we nurture friendly and rewarding relationships. 

If you would like to find out more about what our support team does, please read our article on the role of our support workers.

How do we create our supported living plans?

Our support plans are only created once we've really got to know each person and built a clear understanding of their history, their current situation and their future goals. We have in-depth conversations with the person, their family and any relevant care professionals to make sure that we have all the necessary information and have taken the time to hear each person's views and wishes before we provide our care. 

Once a supported living support plan is in place, we regularly review progress, recognising and celebrating every achievement and continuing to encourage each person to set new goals to achieve even more. 

What is important when choosing supported living accommodation?

Feeling comfortable, happy and safe in your home is crucial to your wellbeing and development, so we work hard to create such environments. We work closely with property developers in creating houses, apartments and bungalows across the UK that are specially designed to complement our support, enabling more independent living. 

We also partner with a number of housing associations to find suitable and affordable places for people to live, and we’re on hand to help sort out tenancy agreements where needed, providing individuals with the security of their own homes. A selection of our homes are also fitted with assistive technology.

With this wide variety of supported living accommodation to choose from, we take the time to get to know each person to understand what location, accommodation and adaptations will be best suited to meet their current requirements and future goals. 

For those living with autism or learning difficulties, we know how important it can be to follow routines - ensuring there’s a level of consistency and predictability each day. Lifeways will work with individuals to ensure that routines can be followed, and if the person is living in a shared house, that those routines are compatible with others.

It’s equally important to be surrounded by people you enjoy spending time with, so where individuals express an interest to live with others, we support them by finding suitable housemates with similar lifestyles and interests. Our supported living homes are set in the heart of communities, meaning easy access to local amenities and attractions, along with having transport links close by.

Ken's supported living story

Ken started off feeling very negative about life, but with the support of Lifeways and his support workers, he’s made a noticeable change to his mood and behaviour. He now enjoys bodybuilding and listening to AC/DC.

Ken also went to America on holiday - a massive step forward for him, after backing out of holidays at the last minute in the past. 

How does our supported living process work?

Before finding a supported living service, you will need to have a needs assessment. This is a simple assessment completed by your social worker to identify your needs and the support you require. Once your social worker has completed your needs assessment, they will use it to determine whether supported living or residential care services are better suited for you. Once it has been decided which service is the best for you, they should inform you about any local services. 

Once you’ve been in touch with Lifeways, one of our referral managers will contact you. We’ll arrange a visit in person to get to know you a little better, including learning more about your current situation, support needs, and your ambitions for the future.

We’ll arrange visits with you to our available supported living options in your chosen location, to give you the opportunity to take a look around and ask the team any questions you might have.

We'll create a support and funding proposal and send it to your local council for approval - keeping you up to date throughout the process. Once funding is approved we can set a move in date, and will be on hand to support you through the whole transition process to make the move as smooth as possible.

Whether you are moving from an existing adult services provider, transitioning from children to adult services or making the step from the family home, Lifeways can support you through this process, so please get in touch with us if you'd like any advice. If you would like to find a Lifeways supported living service, you can use our support search. Or, you can find supported living services near you by using the NHS supported living finder.