Barnet · North London
Supported Living for Barnet Residents
We can offer supported living to Barnet residents, but not inside Barnet: our three homes are in Uxbridge, Whitton and Kingston upon Thames. A Barnet adult can live in one of them permanently, or come for a respite stay, once their Barnet social worker agrees the placement fits. From Edgware or Mill Hill, Uxbridge is the nearest, roughly 35 to 45 minutes by car.
How far are your homes from Barnet?
Far enough to weigh up. Barnet is at the northern edge of London; our homes are all in the west and south-west.
- Uxbridge is the closest. By car from Edgware or Mill Hill it is roughly 35 to 45 minutes along the A41 and A40 or the A410. By public transport allow 60 to 75 minutes: a bus to Harrow, then the Metropolitan line to Uxbridge.
- Whitton and Kingston upon Thames are further. From Golders Green or Finchley the usual route is the Northern line into central London and a South Western Railway train out of Waterloo, which is well over an hour each way.
From Chipping Barnet, Whetstone or Totteridge, even Uxbridge is a real trip. Think about how often you would visit, and whether the person wants to keep going to a day service, synagogue, church or club back in Barnet.
Who in Barnet decides on a supported living placement?
The council does, through a Care Act assessment and an allocated social worker. Which team that is depends on the person.
Adults not yet known to Barnet social care
The front door is Social Care Direct, which takes requests for needs assessments for adults, including people with a learning disability or mental health needs. Call 020 8359 5000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email socialcaredirect@barnet.gov.uk.
Adults with a learning disability
Adults aged 18 and over are supported by the Barnet Learning Disabilities Service, an integrated team of social workers, nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists. Referrals go on the service's form to bldsintegratedduty@barnet.gov.uk and are reviewed at a weekly meeting. If your relative already has a worker in that team, start there.
Young people moving from children's services
In Barnet, disabled young people up to 25 get their social care from the council's 0-25 disabilities service in Family Services, which also handles the move into adult services. If supported living is the long-term plan, ask for it to be discussed at EHCP and transition reviews in the mid-teens, not in the months before an 18th birthday.
Mental health
Secondary mental health care in Barnet comes from North London NHS Foundation Trust, with council social workers carrying out the Care Act assessment. Supported accommodation for mental health needs is discussed with the care coordinator. Barnet does not publish a supported living provider list we could check, so ask the social worker what in-borough options exist alongside ours.
Ask early. In its January 2025 assessment of Barnet Council, the CQC rated the council's adult social care Good, but found some people waited a long time for an assessment and longer for reviews. If a move is on the horizon, request the assessment well before you need it.
How much does supported living cost for a Barnet resident?
We quote only after meeting the person, and the cost comes in two parts. The support is paid for by Barnet Council once the needs assessment confirms eligible needs, and the council then runs a financial assessment to see whether the person contributes from their income or savings. The rent is separate and is often covered by Housing Benefit. Where someone's needs are mainly health needs, the NHS may fund the care through Continuing Healthcare.
If Barnet places someone in one of our homes in another borough, Barnet normally stays responsible for funding and reviews. Chapter 19 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance explains how "ordinary residence" works. Our guide to paying for care covers the means test in more detail.
Your home and your support are separate agreements
Supported living is not a care home. The person holds a tenancy or licence for their room or flat, which gives them housing rights. Their care and support are delivered under a separate support plan by a provider registered with the CQC for personal care. In principle, someone can change who supports them without moving out.
Arrangements vary, so ask us how it works at the home you are considering. JNP Sidona is registered with the CQC and has not yet been inspected, so we do not have a rating. Details of each home are on our supported living page.
Before you choose: questions for any provider
- Who owns the building, and what will the person actually sign?
- Who else lives there, and does the person get a say in new housemates?
- How is the night covered?
- Can the home support particular food, faith or cultural routines, such as a kosher diet or keeping Shabbat?
- How will staff help the person get back to Barnet for family, friends and appointments?
- Can we try a short respite stay first?
Help for Barnet families while you decide
Barnet Mencap is a local charity offering advice and guidance to people with learning disabilities, autistic people and their families. If you look after a relative, Barnet Carers on Ballards Lane in North Finchley can carry out a carer's assessment and help with forms. The CQC found that some Barnet carers were never offered their own assessment, so ask for one.
What we can help with in Barnet
- Homes in Whitton, Kingston and Uxbridge
- Permanent or respite stays
- Support with daily living skills
- Help to build independence
- Tenancy and care explained clearly
- Community, day centres and outings
- Visit before you decide
- Referrals from social workers welcome
Areas of Barnet we cover
Care across the borough, including these neighbourhoods. Each has its own page with local detail.
Our services
How we can help in Barnet
From a few visits a week to a carer who lives in, choose the support that fits.
Barnet FAQs
Barnet families ask
Questions families ask us about Barnet. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Ask a questionIs Uxbridge too far for someone who grew up in High Barnet?
It might be. From the north of the borough the journey is long, especially by public transport. Some people are happy to make a fresh start; others need to stay close to family. A respite stay is a sensible way to find out before anything is permanent.
My son is 17 and known to the 0-25 team. When should we mention supported living?
Now. Barnet's 0-25 disabilities service plans the move into adult services, and placements take time to agree. Raise it at the next EHCP or transition review and ask for it to be written into the plan.
Can we contact you directly, or must the Barnet Learning Disabilities Service refer?
You can call us to ask questions or arrange a visit at any time. If Barnet Council is paying, though, the placement has to be agreed by the social worker, so involve them from the start.
Would Barnet still pay if my relative moves to Kingston?
Usually, yes. When a council arranges supported living in another area, it normally remains responsible under the Care Act's ordinary residence rules. Confirm it in writing with the social worker before the move.
Get started
Looking for care in Barnet?
Tell us what is happening and we will tell you honestly whether we can help, and how.