Guides
Supported living vs residential care and Shared Lives.
Search results in Essex often mix these three things together. They are different. The right option depends on the person’s needs, the kind of home they want, and how housing and support are arranged.
The practical differences
Supported living
The person has their own tenancy. An approved landlord provides the housing. A separate organisation provides support. Support hours are based on assessed need and can change without the person having to move.
Residential care
The person lives in a care home. Accommodation and care are usually provided together. Moving to a different provider typically means moving home as well.
Shared Lives
The person lives in the home of an approved Shared Lives carer and their household, with support built around that family setting. It is a different model from both supported living and a care home.
Why the distinction matters
If housing and support are tied together, changing one can mean losing the other. Supported living is designed so that a person’s home does not depend on who provides their support.
Lintern Care provides supported living and community support. We do not provide accommodation, run a care home, or operate Shared Lives. That is a scope choice, not a ranking of other models.
If you searched for assisted living
People often search for assisted living when they mean supported living. In England, assisted living is not a standard adult social-care term. Supported living is support in a person’s own home, under their own tenancy. Lintern Care does not provide accommodation, a care home, or an assisted living facility.
Extra care housing is a different, usually older-people model. If the question is “own home, own tenancy, separate support”, that is supported living. If the home and the care come as one package, that is usually a care home.
How to decide in Essex
Essex County Council Adult Social Care assesses care and support needs and can explain which options may fit. Their supported living page is the starting point for housing and tenancy questions.
If you are looking at supported living in Uttlesford, Epping Forest or Harlow, read how Lintern Care’s model works.
Questions people often ask
What is the difference between assisted living, a care home and supported living?
Related pages
What is supported living?
Tenancy, housing versus support, and how people access it in Essex.
Lintern Care’s supported living
Support in a person’s own home across West Essex.
Questions to ask a provider
A checklist that works for any service.
Who we support
Where Lintern Care is, and is not, the right service.
Tell us what good support would look like
If you are looking for support in Uttlesford, Epping Forest or Harlow, start with a short picture of a good week. Families, advocates and professionals can write too.
Or call 01279 912041
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