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Cambridge City Council

Living in sheltered housing

Sheltered housing can help you continue to live on your own or manage your own care and support needs.

Sheltered housing is available to anybody who:

  • is over 60 and has lived or worked in Cambridge, or who has relatives here
  • needs support to live independently and would benefit from the security of sheltered housing
  • needs assistance with managing their care and support

Our 13 sheltered housing schemes provide convenient and comfortable accommodation.

  • All schemes have a communal garden for residents’ use
  • We regularly clean and maintain all communal areas, grounds and windows
  • Most properties have one bedroom, although some have two
  • Some properties have been adapted for disabled people
  • Some properties have their own garden
  • Nine of the schemes are ‘indoor’ schemes, where residents’ front doors open onto a corridor inside the building
  • Cats and dogs are allowed with written permission (not needed for assistance dogs)

Read a few examples of people who have chosen to live in sheltered housing [PDF, 13Kb].

To find out more about what is happening across our schemes, take a look at our latest edition of the Sheltered Housing Herald newsletter:

Support

Our sheltered housing schemes are each managed by an independent living facilitator. The facilitator is the residents’ main point of contact for anything to do with life at the scheme. They make regular contact with all residents.

The facilitator will work with new residents to ascertain and agree what contact and support is needed, and to create a support plan. They can also provide advice about or help to arrange any other services that might be required.

Additional support that residents can receive includes help with:

  • managing the tenancy
  • managing money, and paying rent and council tax
  • attending appointments or social activities
  • settling into their new home
  • reporting housing issues and requesting repairs
  • staying physically and mentally healthy

Further support can be arranged for short periods following an illness, bereavement or hospitalisation. Carers can visit residents just as they would in the wider community.

A ‘handyman’ visits each scheme regularly, to help residents with smaller repairs and alterations.

Events and activities

Each sheltered housing scheme runs a busy and ever-changing calendar of events and activities. The calendar is well publicised to all residents, who are welcome to join any activity.

Popular regular events include bingo, tea and cakes, and craft groups, and we offer a wide range of exercise activities.

Some activities are free, while others cost a small amount to help fund them and provide the resources.

For questions about a service we provide, please use our contact us form