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Supported living

Supported living in West Essex.

Supported living is personal care and support in the person’s own home, under their own tenancy. The landlord and the support provider are separate. In Essex, Lintern Care works across Harlow, Epping Forest and Uttlesford.

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What supported living is

People live in their own home—sometimes a shared house with a small number of other tenants, sometimes a single flat or bungalow. They sign a tenancy. Support is then planned around how they want to live, not around a building’s routine.

Support can be one-to-one, shared hours that benefit everyone in a scheme, or a mix of both. Hours can include evenings, weekends, night support and up to 24-hour support where that is assessed and commissioned.

Who it is for

Lintern Care’s supported living is for adults aged 18 and over in West Essex: autistic adults, adults with a learning disability, and adults living with enduring mental ill health who need support to keep a home and a life in the community.

Associated physical, mobility or sensory needs can sit inside that support where they are part of the same plan. We are not a children’s or 16–18 service, an older-people service, or a service where dementia or substance misuse is the main need. See who we support.

What support can include

  • Home and daily living

    Support with cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, budgeting and looking after a home—with the aim of building independence over time.

  • Personal care

    Support with washing, dressing, oral care, continence and daily routines, shaped around the person’s pace and preferences.

  • Community, relationships and faith

    Support to take part in community life, maintain relationships and access leisure, volunteering, learning and places of faith.

  • Skills, learning and work

    Practical support with independent living skills, travel training, education, volunteering and employment goals.

  • Health and medicines

    Support with appointments, health checks, hospital passports and medicines, based on assessed needs and staff competence.

  • Positive Behaviour Support

    Proactive, least-restrictive support that seeks to understand behaviour, reduce restrictions and protect each person’s rights.

How the model works

Support is planned around the person’s day, not around filling a rota. People are supported by a small, consistent team in a local cluster, so they are known—not processed.

  • Around your life: routines, relationships, culture, faith and goals shape the hours, not the other way round.
  • Your home and your choice: the tenancy stays with the person and the landlord. Support can change without the home having to.
  • Progress with rights intact: we aim to help people do more for themselves over time, using the least restrictive option.

Housing is separate

In genuine supported living, the landlord and the support provider are different organisations. Rent, bills and the tenancy sit with the housing arrangement. Support sits with the person’s plan. Lintern Care does not provide accommodation, and a person’s home should not depend on who provides their support.

How people usually access support in Essex

Most people need a social care assessment from Essex County Council Adult Social Care to find out what care and support they may be eligible for, and whether supported living is a good option. A family member or friend can be part of that conversation.

We do not replace that assessment. For how Essex explains supported living, tenancies and paying for housing, read the Council’s page: Supported living — Essex County Council.

Where we work in West Essex

Lintern Care works across Uttlesford, Epping Forest and Harlow. The model is the same in each district: a local cluster, a small team, and support planned around the person.

  • Uttlesford

    including Saffron Walden

    Support in Uttlesford follows the same model as the rest of West Essex: a small local team, plans shaped around the person’s day, and housing kept separate from support.

  • Epping Forest

    including Epping

    In Epping Forest, support is organised in a local cluster so people are more likely to see familiar staff rather than a rotating rota.

  • Harlow

    Support in Harlow is part of the same West Essex service. The person’s home, routines and goals come first; the team fits around that.

Questions people often ask

Is this a care home?
No. Supported living is support in the person’s own home. Lintern Care does not provide accommodation and does not run a care home.
Who provides the house?
Housing is provided separately by an approved landlord. The person has their own tenancy. Choosing or changing a support provider should not mean losing a home.
Do you provide supported living for autistic adults?
Yes, for adults aged 18 and over. Support is planned around communication, sensory needs, routines and a small consistent team. We do not support children or young people under 18.
Do you provide supported living for adults with a learning disability?
Yes. That includes people whose behaviour may challenge, and people with associated communication or sensory needs, where we can meet those needs safely in their own home.
Is this supported living for mental health?
We support adults living with enduring mental ill health who need help to keep a tenancy, look after their health and take part in community life. We are not a service for people detained under the Mental Health Act. Read the mental health supported living guide.
Can family be involved?
Yes, where the person wants that. Families, advocates and other people who matter can help plan and review support. The person still leads, including when they want more privacy or a different kind of involvement.
What if needs change?
Plans are reviewed when needs, goals or circumstances change. Support can increase, reduce or change shape. If we cannot meet a need safely and consistently, we will say so.

Related pages

Tell us what good support would look like

If you are looking for support in Uttlesford, Epping Forest or Harlow, we would like to understand what matters to you. Families, advocates and professionals are welcome to contact us too.

Email office@lintern.care

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Or read the contact page

Please do not include medical information, identification documents or other sensitive personal details in an email.