Hounslow · West London
Supported Living for Hounslow Residents
Yes, a Hounslow resident can live in one of our supported living homes, permanently or for a respite stay, once their Hounslow social worker has agreed the placement. None of our homes is inside the borough, but the Whitton one is just across the River Crane, one stop from Hounslow station on the South Western Railway line. The other two are in Kingston upon Thames and Uxbridge.
We don't run a supported living home inside Hounslow, but our three homes are in Whitton, Kingston upon Thames and Uxbridge, and Whitton sits just over the borough boundary. Hounslow residents can move in permanently or for a respite stay once the council has assessed their needs and agreed the placement through their social worker, or by arranging it privately with us.
Whitton: the home next door to Hounslow
Whitton is in Richmond upon Thames but sits right on the Hounslow boundary, so for most families it is the home to look at first. Rough journey times:
- Hounslow town centre, Lampton and Hounslow West: one stop from Hounslow station to Whitton on the SWR Hounslow Loop, or 10 to 20 minutes by bus or car.
- Isleworth, Spring Grove and Osterley: about 10 to 15 minutes by road, past West Middlesex University Hospital.
- Brentford and Chiswick: Brentford, Kew Bridge and Chiswick stations are on the same Hounslow Loop, so Loop trains heading via Hounslow reach Whitton without a change.
- Feltham, Hanworth and Bedfont: 10 to 20 minutes to Whitton by road. From Hanworth and Feltham, Kingston is also possible at around 30 to 40 minutes.
- Heston and Cranford: Whitton via Hounslow, or Uxbridge at about 30 to 40 minutes by road.
Distance decides how often family drop in and whether the person can keep their day centre, place of worship or job in Hounslow.
Who in Hounslow Council will handle the referral?
Hounslow's supported living page is plain about the first step: before anyone is offered supported living, the council has to assess their care needs. Which team does that depends on the person.
Turning 18 and known to children's services
Young people supported by Hounslow's children's services are assessed before their 18th birthday, then move to one of two adult teams if they have eligible needs, as the council's SEND Local Offer page explains. If leaving the family home is part of the plan, raise it at that assessment.
A learning disability, autism or both
These adults are supported by ALDAS, the Adult Learning Disability and Autism Service. Its Independent Futures team works with 17- to 24-year-olds on independence, which is often where a first move from home gets planned. Its Community team supports people aged 25 and over.
Long-term mental illness
The Adult Localities Mental Health Team (ALMHT) is the route here. If the person is an inpatient at the Lakeside Mental Health Unit on the West Middlesex site, ask the ward and the ALMHT worker to make housing and support part of discharge planning.
Not known to anyone yet
Call the council's First Contact Team on 020 8583 3100 (Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday until 4.45pm), or use the online enquiry linked from the council's adult social care pages.
What Hounslow offers inside the borough
The council's own supported living is shared homes for two or more people with similar needs, from high-needs schemes to ‘move on’ sites, with partners including St Mungo's and Certitude. It also runs Shared Lives, where an adult lives with or regularly visits an approved carer in the carer's home. Ask the social worker about these as well as our homes. A placement at Whitton, Kingston or Uxbridge is agreed through the social worker and the council's commissioning process.
Crossing into Richmond doesn't change which council is responsible. When Hounslow arranges supported living in another borough, the person normally stays “ordinarily resident” in Hounslow under section 39 of the Care Act, so Hounslow keeps funding and reviewing their care. Chapter 19 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance explains the rule.
Who pays for supported living if you live in Hounslow?
Rent and support are paid separately. Rent is often met by Housing Benefit. The support follows Hounslow's needs assessment and a financial assessment; the council's guide to what you might pay says you usually pay the full cost with savings or assets of £23,250 or more. It also warns that replies may be slower while it takes financial assessments back in-house from Liberata. Where needs are mainly health needs, NHS Continuing Healthcare may pay. We quote only after meeting the person and assessing their support.
A tenancy and a support plan are two different things
The person signs a tenancy or licence for their room, so it is their home in law. Their care sits in a separate support plan from a provider registered with the CQC for personal care, which means they could in principle change provider and keep their home. JNP Sidona is CQC-registered for personal care and has not yet been inspected, so we have no rating. Details of each home are on our supported living page.
Questions to put to any provider, including us
- Who is the landlord, and what exactly will the person sign?
- Has the Hounslow social worker agreed this placement in writing, and when is the first review?
- How is the house staffed at night?
- Who else lives there, and does the person get a say in new housemates?
- Is there a ground-floor room or step-free access if it's needed?
- How will staff help the person get back to Hounslow for the things that matter to them?
What we can help with in Hounslow
- 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
Our services
How we can help in Hounslow
From a few visits a week to a carer who lives in, choose the support that fits.
Hounslow FAQs
Hounslow families ask
Questions families ask us about Hounslow. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Ask a questionMy son is with the Independent Futures team. When should we mention moving out?
Now. That team works with 17- to 24-year-olds on independence, so a move to supported living is the kind of goal it plans for. Ask his worker to note it in his plan, and call us if you'd like to see the Whitton house before anything is decided.
Would my daughter lose the Hounslow learning disability health team?
Probably, after a permanent move. That team serves adults registered with a Hounslow GP, and in Whitton she would normally register with a Richmond GP. Her Hounslow social worker would usually still carry out reviews.
He goes to Sandbanks in Feltham. Could he carry on from Whitton?
Possibly. Places at the council's day centres are agreed through the support plan, so ask his social worker whether it can continue after the move. Feltham to Whitton is a short trip by road, and we can talk through what support he would need to get there.
Can we try a short stay before deciding?
Yes, if a room is free. All three homes take respite stays. If you are the family carer, also ask Hounslow for a carer's assessment. Our respite care page explains how short stays work.
Nearby
Other areas near Hounslow
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