I want care available on site
Extra-care housing
Self-contained homes with care and support available on site, letting residents live independently while personal care can be arranged when they need it.
Also called: Housing with care, Assisted living, Very sheltered housing
Care arrangements, charges and eligibility vary by scheme.
- Reviewed
At a glance
- Who it may suit
- People who want their own home with the option of personal care on site, now or later.
- Home arrangement
- Usually a self-contained accessible flat within a larger scheme, often with a restaurant and shared spaces.
- Support usually available
- Staff usually on site, often 24 hours; schemes commonly include meals and activity programmes.
- Personal care
- Usually available on site from a registered care team, arranged and charged according to assessed need.
- Typical tenure
- A mix of social rent, shared ownership and leasehold, depending on the scheme.
- Age or eligibility
- Commonly 55 and over with some care need; council nomination criteria often apply to rented schemes.
What extra-care housing usually means
Extra-care housing (often called housing with care, and in some sources assisted living) usually means self-contained flats in a larger scheme where a care team is based on site. You keep your own front door, tenancy or lease, and daily independence — with personal care available within the building when it is needed.
Most schemes include communal facilities such as a restaurant or bistro, lounges, and organised activity, and staff are usually present around the clock. Care is normally arranged through an assessment and charged separately from housing costs.
Extra care sits between sheltered housing (support, but usually no on-site care) and a care home (care built into the accommodation itself). Because councils often part-fund rented schemes, eligibility criteria and nomination arrangements vary considerably by area, and the exact care offer differs scheme by scheme.
Terms used here: personal care, care assessment.
What to expect
Typical arrangements — the individual scheme or home always determines what is actually offered.
Your home
- Usually a self-contained, accessible one or two bedroom flat with your own front door.
- Schemes commonly include a restaurant, lounges, a laundry and assisted bathing facilities.
- Buildings are designed to remain suitable as mobility changes.
- Check with the provider what the individual flat and scheme include.
Support and care
- A care team is usually based on site, often 24 hours a day.
- Personal care is usually arranged through an assessment and delivered flexibly.
- Many schemes offer meals and housekeeping as optional charged services.
- Check with the provider how care is assessed, delivered and reviewed.
Costs, tenure and eligibility
- Tenure mixes social rent, shared ownership and leasehold depending on the scheme.
- Expect separate housing, service and care charges — each assessed differently.
- Rented schemes often require a council nomination and evidence of care need.
- Check with the provider and council how eligibility and funding work locally.
Is it likely to suit you?
There is no single right answer — these questions are meant to help you reflect, not to assess you.
- Do you want your own self-contained home rather than a care-home room?
- Do you need some personal care now, or want it available on site later?
- Would shared meals and organised activity be welcome?
- Are you looking to rent, buy a share, or buy outright?
- Have you asked your council about eligibility for extra-care schemes locally?
Often confused with
Extra-care housing or sheltered housing?
Sheltered housing usually offers an alarm and scheme manager but no on-site care team — care is arranged separately.
The home
- Extra-care housing
- Self-contained flat or bungalow in a smaller scheme.
- Sheltered housing
- Your own flat or bungalow within a scheme, usually rented from a housing association or council.
Care and support
No on-site care team; home care arranged privately if needed.
Extra-care housing or care homes?
In a care home, accommodation and care come as one package and residents usually have a room rather than a self-contained home.
The home
- Extra-care housing
- A furnished room within a staffed residential home.
- Care homes
- A furnished room, usually with private bathroom, within a staffed home providing daily personal care.
Care and support
Personal care is part of daily life; nursing in some homes.
Questions to ask providers
Worth asking about any scheme or home you are considering — print this page and take it with you.
How is care assessed, arranged and charged?
Care charges are usually separate from rent and service charges.
Is there a minimum or maximum care need for residents?
Some schemes require a care need at entry; others cap what they can support.
What staff are on site, and at what hours?
Cover ranges from daytime teams to 24-hour presence.
What are the current housing, service and care charges?
Three separate charges apply in most schemes.
How does council nomination or funding work here?
Rented schemes often allocate through the council.
What happens if your care needs increase significantly?
Understand when a scheme could no longer support you.
Keep going
Choosing later-life housing: a practical guide
A practical guide to weighing up support, tenure and cost across the main housing types.
Related information and sources
Across the UK
Extra care is a policy focus in England; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use related but differently organised housing-with-care models.
Related reading
Sources and review
Reviewed by ShelterFind Editorial Team on . This explainer describes typical arrangements; details vary by scheme, provider and nation.