Care and Accommodation Options

Extra Care Housing Schemes are community-based buildings situated across the borough of Cheshire West and Chester. People who live in these buildings have their own apartment and their own tenancy. They are living independently. Each Extra Care Housing Scheme has a mixture of different tenures; rental, part own or fully owned. Each resident living in Extra Care Housing pays a service charge to their landlord which covers essential running costs of the building.

Extra Care Housing Schemes are staffed by care providers (contracted by the Council) twenty-four hours of the day. Each apartment is fitted with a pull cord which will alert staff to an emergency which requires their support and intervention. Residents living in Extra Care Housing can receive support for their daily care needs can receive support in the event of an emergency, or support with a short time change in need.

The purpose of Extra Care Housing is to enable people to live in communities whereby they can have their own home and the opportunity to build social networks with others. Extra Care Housing Schemes can also offer onsite services such as a bistro, library, gym and social activity provisions. These provisions are managed by the Landlords.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible to live in Extra Care Housing a person must be aged 55 years or over. They must either eligible care needs as defined by the Care Act or, they will have a local connection to the area where the scheme is situated. Extra Care Housing Schemes can house people with a range of needs from learning disabilities, mental health and those living with cognitive impairments that may be a result of growing older.

As a result of the care providers being on site twenty-four hours of the day, there is a charge associated with the pull cord which is £6 per week. The contribution from residents enables care staff to be available to respond to any situation or emergency and risk and offers residents reassurance that if something happens, help is not far away.

More information

If you are interested in applying for an Extra Care Housing Scheme, there are two different ways you can do this. The first is to visit the scheme you are interested in, and the Landlord can provide you with all the information required and initial assessments can be completed.

The second is to make an application via the online application portal (link below). Your application will then be considered at the monthly multi-agency panel meetings consisting of Council Social Work Teams, Commissioners, Landlords and Care Providers.