Supported Living for Newham Residents

Who do you contact at Newham Council about supported living?

Start with the Access to Adult Social Care Team on 020 8430 2000, option 2 (Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday until 4.45pm), or the council's online request for an assessment. The council offers supported living to adults aged 18 and over with an assessed need, such as a learning disability or mental health needs.

Young people leaving Newham children's services

The council's Young Adults Preparation Team works with 18 to 24 year olds who have a learning disability, autism, a physical disability or a mental health condition and have had support from Newham children's services. If your son or daughter has an EHCP, ask at their annual review when this team will get involved, so housing is discussed well before they turn 18.

Adults with a severe or profound learning disability

East London NHS Foundation Trust runs the Newham Learning Disabilities Service (NHLD) at 29 Romford Road, Stratford, on 0207 059 6600. It is a health team and doesn't fund housing or support, but it accepts self-referrals, and its health and behaviour support plans are worth sharing with any provider.

Mental health

New referrals go to the Mental Health Adult Social Care Access Team (MHASCAT) on the same number, or AdultMental.HealthAccess@newham.gov.uk. Anyone can refer, including family, and MHASCAT also handles discharges from the Newham Centre for Mental Health on Glen Road.

How far are your homes from Newham?

All three are on the far side of London. Rough door-to-door times:

• Uxbridge: about 75 to 90 minutes. Take the Elizabeth line west from Stratford, Forest Gate or Manor Park to Hayes & Harlington or West Drayton (some trains need a change), then a bus.
• Whitton: about 75 to 90 minutes. The Mildmay line runs from Stratford to Richmond in just over an hour, then a short South Western Railway train goes on to Whitton. From East Ham, Upton Park, Plaistow or West Ham, some District line trains run all the way to Richmond: slow, but no change.
• Kingston upon Thames: about 90 minutes. Take the Jubilee line from Stratford, West Ham or Canning Town to Waterloo, then a South Western Railway train to Kingston.

By car, allow 60 to 90 minutes. Think about which journey an older parent could manage alone.

Who pays for supported living for someone from Newham?

If the Care Act assessment shows eligible needs, Newham Council arranges or funds the support. A financial assessment then works out whether the person contributes. The council warns that people with savings over £23,250 may have to pay the full cost of their care. Rent is a separate cost, often met through Housing Benefit. Someone whose needs are mainly health needs may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Eligible people can also take a personal budget as a direct payment and use it to pay an agency they choose; the council's Direct Payments Team holds a drop-in on the first Friday of each month at The Resource Centre, Chargeable Lane, Plaistow. We quote only after we have assessed the person ourselves. Our guide to paying for care explains the wider rules.

What stays with Newham after a move west

Under the Care Act's ordinary residence rules, someone Newham places in supported living in another borough usually stays Newham's responsibility. Chapter 19 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance explains this.

Day-to-day health care is different. NHLD only works with people who live in Newham and have a Newham GP, so a move to Twickenham, Kingston or Uxbridge means registering with a local GP and being referred to that area's NHS teams. A regular place at the council's Resource Centre day services in Plaistow would end too. Ask the social worker for a written handover plan before any move.

A tenancy and a care plan: two separate agreements

The person signs a tenancy or licence with a landlord, which gives them rights as a tenant. Their support follows a care plan from a CQC-registered provider. JNP Sidona is registered for personal care and has not yet been inspected, so it has no rating. Ask us how the two agreements work at each of our homes.

Five questions to ask any provider

• What exactly will the person sign, a tenancy or a licence, and who is the landlord?
• Who are the other residents, and does the person get a say in who moves in?
• What support is there at night?
• How will staff help the person keep their Newham links: family, friends, a place of worship?
• Can the person try a short respite stay first?

What we can help with in Newham

• 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