Lambeth · South-east London
Supported Living for Lambeth Residents
An adult from Lambeth can live in one of our supported living homes, permanently or for a short respite stay, but none of our homes is in Lambeth. They are in Kingston upon Thames, Whitton and Uxbridge, all to the south-west or west, and Kingston is the nearest at roughly 45 to 60 minutes by public transport via Vauxhall. If Lambeth Council funds the support, the placement is agreed with the person's social worker after a Care Act assessment.
Is there supported living in Lambeth itself?
Yes, and plenty of it. Lambeth Council says on its supported living page that it commissions 30 supported living schemes in the borough, in shared houses or single flats, and that it can also arrange placements with other providers. We are one of those other providers, an out-of-borough option.
Families usually look at us when nothing in Lambeth suits, when there is no vacancy, or when relatives live in south-west or west London and a move would bring the person closer to them. JNP Sidona is registered with the CQC but has not yet been inspected, so we have no rating to show you. Our supported living page describes the three homes.
Which Lambeth team will handle the referral?
Lambeth only arranges supported living once a social worker has assessed the person and agreed it is the best way to meet their needs. The team that does this depends on age and the kind of need.
Teenagers and young adults with complex disabilities
Lambeth's 0–25 Disabilities Service starts preparing-for-adulthood conversations at 14, usually at school reviews, and these cover living independently. At 17 the young person is referred on, and an adult social worker completes a Care Act assessment before their 18th birthday. The service's Team 4 then usually supports them until they finish education or turn 25. If a home of their own is the goal, say so at 14.
Adults with a learning disability or autism
The council's Community Adult Learning Disabilities Team includes housing options in its support and works with the Guy's and St Thomas' learning disability community health team.
Adults with mental health needs
Adult mental health care in Lambeth runs through the Living Well Network Alliance, a partnership of the council, South London and Maudsley and local charities. Ask the care coordinator about supported living.
Anyone not yet known to the council
Use the online Adult Social Care referral form, or call 020 7926 5555 and choose Adults, then Option 1. If the person already has a service, choose Option 2 for the Community Duty Team. Have their name, address and date of birth ready.
How far is it from Lambeth to Kingston, Whitton or Uxbridge?
Lambeth is a long borough, so the answer depends on which end you live at.
- Kingston upon Thames is the nearest. From Vauxhall, South Western Railway trains run through Clapham Junction and Wimbledon to Norbiton and Kingston. From Streatham, Tulse Hill or Herne Hill, Thameslink runs to Wimbledon, where you change. By car it is about 35 to 50 minutes from Streatham or Clapham via the A3, traffic permitting.
- Whitton, near Twickenham, is about 45 to 60 minutes by train from Vauxhall or Clapham Junction on the Hounslow loop.
- Uxbridge is furthest, at around an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, and mainly suits families who already live out west.
Think about the week as well as the journey. Someone who goes to The Crescent day centre on Coburg Crescent or a church in Stockwell may want to keep going, and from Kingston that takes planning.
Moving to Kingston doesn't usually end Lambeth's responsibility. When a council arranges supported living in another borough, the Care Act's ordinary residence rules normally keep that council responsible for funding and reviews. Chapter 19 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance explains this. Ask the social worker to confirm it in writing before the move.
Who pays for supported living for a Lambeth resident?
Rent and support are paid separately. The person pays rent to the landlord, and Lambeth's own guidance points to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit to help with it. The support is funded by Lambeth Council once eligible needs are confirmed, and a financial assessment decides whether the person pays towards it. For a young person leaving children's services, this may be a new cost.
A direct payment lets the person or family arrange support themselves. Lambeth refers people to Blue Sky Brokers (0333 034 1101) for help setting one up. Where needs are mainly health needs, NHS Continuing Healthcare may pay instead. We don't publish prices: we quote after meeting the person. Our paying for care guide covers the funding routes in more detail.
Your tenancy and your support come from different places
In supported living the person is a tenant with housing rights. The support is a separate arrangement, set out in a care plan and provided by an organisation registered with the CQC for personal care. In principle the support provider can change without the person losing their home, which is not true of a care home. Ask to see the tenancy agreement before anyone signs.
Questions to put to any provider, including us
- Who already lives in the house, and can we meet them?
- How is support arranged overnight and at weekends?
- Will staff help with trips back to Lambeth for family, worship or a day centre?
- Which GP will the person register with, and how will the Guy's and St Thomas' learning disability health team hand over?
- Can we begin with a short respite stay?
Help for Lambeth families while you decide
If you look after the person, you can have a carer's assessment of your own from Lambeth Council, by phone, video or in person, on 020 7926 5555. Carers' Hub Lambeth, at 336 Brixton Road, supports family carers without needing that assessment first (020 7501 8970). Lambeth Mencap offers learning disability advice, and VoiceAbility provides statutory advocacy in the borough.
What we can help with in Lambeth
- 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 Lambeth we cover
Care across the borough, including these neighbourhoods. Each has its own page with local detail.
Our services
How we can help in Lambeth
From a few visits a week to a carer who lives in, choose the support that fits.
Lambeth FAQs
What Lambeth families ask
Questions families ask us about Lambeth. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Ask a questionLambeth has 30 schemes of its own. Why would we look at Kingston?
Staying in the borough may be right for your relative. Families look further when there is no suitable vacancy or when relatives live in south-west London. Ask the social worker what is possible outside Lambeth.
My daughter is 16 and with the 0–25 Disabilities Service. When should we raise supported living?
Now. Lambeth starts preparing-for-adulthood talks at 14 and refers on at 17, with a Care Act assessment before 18. Ask for her housing goal to be written into her reviews so it is in the plan when Team 4 takes over.
We live in Streatham and don't drive. How would we visit Kingston?
Take Thameslink from Streatham to Wimbledon, then a South Western Railway train to Norbiton or Kingston, or a bus from Wimbledon. Allow about an hour each way and agree a visiting pattern before the move.
Would he still be under Lambeth's learning disability team after moving?
Lambeth would normally stay responsible for his social care funding and reviews. His health care will change when he registers with a GP near his new home, so ask before the move how his annual health check and specialist health support will pass to the local team.
Can someone from Lambeth try a respite stay first?
Yes, if a room is free. Our homes take respite stays as well as permanent residents, and a short stay shows whether the distance from Lambeth works for everyone.
Nearby
Other areas near Lambeth
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