Extra care housing

Extra care housing - sometimes called very sheltered housing or assisted living, is ideal for older people who need some personal care or other support, but who are still able to live independently and safely.

Extra care housing provides support, but would not be suitable for someone with very intense care or support needs.

A move to extra care housing may mean you do not have to move into a care home or it could reduce the amount of time you spend in a care home in the future. If you are part of a couple, where just one of you has care needs, it may mean that you can continue living together.

How much support and care would I receive in an Extra Care Scheme?

Extra care schemes have two sets of staff.

• A scheme manager who ensures that you receive the housing related support that you need.
  
  
• A team of care staff, commissioned by Adult Services, who are on-site 24 hours a day to administer your commissioned care. The amount of care you receive will be assessed by Adult Services. Additional care will only be provided in an emergency.
  

You will also be provided with a two course meal at lunchtime, seven days a week. Meals are included as a compulsory element of your rental charge.

Who can apply?

Anyone aged 55 and over, living in the borough, who is eligible for Adult Services care, and is assessed as requiring a care support package, can apply for extra care housing in Basingstoke and Deane. Those with savings over £30,000 and/or those who own or have a legal interest in a property in the UK or abroad will not necessarily be accepted onto the Basingstoke and Deane waiting list. However each case will be looked at on individual circumstances. Due to the nature of extra care housing and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all tenants, landlords may not accept nominations from people with:

• severe mental illness
  
• a history of drug and alcohol abuse
  
• complex behavioural needs
• a history of violence
• convictions for serious offences
• nursing care requirements.
  

Applications will only be declined if it is felt that the health and safety of the applicant and/or others may be at risk if accepted. Each application is assessed individually. Further risk assessments will be carried out if high levels of risk are identified.

How do I apply for extra care housing in Basingstoke and Deane?

You will need to complete an online application form. If you are unable to access a computer, or do not have family member that can help you with the application, then please contact us on 01256 844844. When we have your form, your application will be assessed and we will liaise with Adult Services regarding your care and support needs.

Once Adult Services has confirmed whether your care needs are considered low, medium or high you will be assigned a care band and placed onto a waiting list. We will write to confirm this and your care and housing register banding.

In some cases, you may be asked to spend one to two weeks at the short-stay assessment suite at either Abbey Court or Newman Court before you can be placed onto the specific waiting list for extra care housing. This is to ensure that your care needs can be met within an extra care environment and to determine if extra care housing is right for you. Both schemes offer this period of assessment, and it will need to be arranged via the individual scheme's manager.

After your stay, the extra care housing scheme will contact Adult Services about whether they feel that extra care housing is a suitable environment for you. You will be given the opportunity to express your opinions on the stay too. If it is determined, following your stay, that extra care housing can meet your care and support then you will be placed on to the waiting list at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Please be aware that once you have arranged your trial stay with the scheme manager, if an emergency arises for an existing tenant or resident of the extra care scheme you plan to stay at, they must take priority in using the guest suite and it may be that your trial stay is postponed. Whilst this is unlikely, it is something that we need to make you aware of.

Where are the schemes for extra care in Basingstoke and Deane?

Abbey Court, Popley Way, Popley, Basingstoke – Vivid Housing Association
A total of 51 one bedroom flats with on-site care staff (24 hours), residential management staff, community alarm service and short-stay assessment facilities.

Newman Court, Barber Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke – Saxon Weald
A total of 64 one and two bedroom flats – 34 affordable rented, 30 shared equity and one short-term recuperation suite with on-site care staff (24 hours), non-resident management staff and community alarm service.

There are 30 one and two bedroom apartments available for purchase on a shared equity basis, where buyers purchase a 75% share of the property with no rent to pay on the 25% retained by Saxon Weald. If you are interested in buying an apartment at Newman Court, please contact Saxon Weald’s Sales Team on 01403 226035 or email sales@saxonweald.com.

Landlords of extra care housing are registered with charitable status. They must ensure that their accommodation is allocated to customers who are in housing need and who do not have sufficient income, savings or assets to meet this housing need themselves through purchasing or privately renting accommodation. Applicants who are nominated by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for extra care housing will have an assessment by the landlord of their income, savings and assets. Those with substantial income, savings and/or assets may be refused an offer of social rented extra care housing.