Shared House or Self-Contained Flat? Choosing the Right Supported Living Property
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When commissioners talk about Supported Living models, the conversation often centres on staffing and hours. But the property type you choose — shared house, self-contained flat or clustered scheme — has just as much impact on stability, risk and quality of life.
This article looks at how to decide what kind of home is right for each person, and how to describe that clearly in tenders.
It starts with the person, not the property
Strong providers don’t start with “we’ve got a 4-bed house to fill”. They start by asking:
- What does this person find overwhelming or reassuring in a home?
- How do they manage noise, other people and unexpected changes?
- What does their PBS plan and risk profile suggest about proximity to others?
- What are their long-term goals around independence and community?
Only then do you decide whether a shared house, flat or hybrid model makes sense.
Shared houses: pros and cons
Shared houses can work brilliantly when they are:
- Genuinely small-scale and homely
- Built around a compatible peer group, not just “who’s available”
- Designed with both privacy and social space in mind
Potential benefits include:
- Opportunities for friendship, mutual support and shared activities
- Cost-effective staffing and night-time cover
- A strong “family home” feel when well-matched
Risks to manage:
- Compatibility issues leading to conflict or distress
- Noise and sensory overload for autistic people
- “Group rules” overriding individual choice and control
Self-contained flats and core-and-cluster models
Self-contained flats (often within a core-and-cluster scheme) can offer:
- High levels of privacy and control
- Reduced environmental triggers for people with complex trauma or distress responses
- Flexible staffing (e.g. on-site staff base plus individual support hours)
They work particularly well for people who:
- Are distressed by others’ noise, routines or behaviours
- Have been in ATUs or secure settings and need a clear psychological “break” from institutional feel
- Want to build independence at their own pace
Risks to manage:
- Social isolation if people are left alone too much
- Underestimating the support needed to manage a whole flat
- Properties feeling “bedded out” or institutional if badly designed
Hybrid and stepped models
Some providers use a stepped approach, for example:
- Starting in a flat within a staffed core-and-cluster scheme
- Building skills and confidence with a clear progression plan
- Moving on to a more independent tenancy in the community when ready
In tenders, this can be described as an outcomes-focused housing pathway, not just a static placement.
Matching people to property types
A strong matching process will:
- Use information from support plans and reviews to shape housing decisions
- Involve people and families in viewing and shortlisting properties
- Consider location, transport and community assets as well as the building
- Document why a shared house, flat or hybrid model was chosen for that person
Describing this clearly in tenders
Commissioners want to see more than “we offer shared homes and flats”. Help them understand that you:
- Start with individual needs, not voids
- Can offer a range of housing solutions (shared, flats, core-and-cluster)
- Have a robust process for matching and move-in, with clear compatibility checks
- Review housing suitability over time, not just at point of placement
When you can articulate why a particular property type suits a person — and how you’ll review this — commissioners are far more confident in your supported living model.
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