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Housing options and home adaptations

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Most people want to stay independent in their own home for as long as possible. This might mean moving to a more suitable home. Making adaptations to your home can also help you to stay living at home for longer.

How well does your home suit you?

Does the layout of your current home make it difficult for you to get about? Moving to a home which better suits your needs can help you live independently for life.

There are a number of options and things to think about:

  • downsizing to a smaller home
  • buying or renting something different
  • moving in with family or friends
  • moving into sheltered, Extra Care or retirement housing (which might be bought or rented)
  • finding out about park homes and almshouses
  • finding out about social housing

The Housing Options for Older People (HOOP) website has a questionnaire to help you assess your housing options.

Start the HOOP questionnaire

Housing options

Social housing and homelessness

The district and city councils in Cambridgeshire have the legal responsibility for housing and homelessness. They are known as housing authorities. Their duties include providing social housing and they provide free, confidential housing advice. They help both tenants and homeowners. They can advise you on your options and legal rights. This includes homelessness, benefits, social housing, renting and eviction. 

Supported and sheltered housing helps people with disabilities, older people, and people with other support needs, live as independently as possible.

If you have a learning disability and/or autism you may need extra support to live independently.

Supported living helps people live as independently as possible, with support tailored to their individual needs. It gives people more choice and control over how they live and supports them to be active members of their community. To access supported living, you will need to have a social care needs assessment.

There are supported living homes across Cambridgeshire. These include both houses and bungalows and offer access to 24-hour support.

Supported housing can be the stepping stone to independent living.

(Extra Care Housing is similar to supported living but provides accommodation for older adults.)

Sheltered housing is sometimes also called retirement housing.

There is usually a minimum age threshold, such as 55 or 60, and you can either but or rent the accommodation. Different sheltered housing schemes offer different levels of support.

Sheltered housing usually includes:

  • self-contained accommodation
  • a scheme manager (also known as a warden) who may live on-site or off-site
  • 24-hour emergency help through an alarm system
  • communal areas, such as gardens or lounges
  • social activities

Sheltered housing can allow you to live independently in a smaller home that’s easier to manage. 

Your district council's housing advice service can give more information on sheltered housing and advise whether there is a waiting list.

Extra Care Housing helps older people to live independently by combining accommodation with care and support services. It is sometimes also called 'independent living with care and support'.

You have a self contained flat with your own front door, and a care team on site 24 hours a day.

More information about Extra Care Housing.

You can find more information about local housing schemes in the Cambridgeshire Guide to Independent Living.

Age UK has a guide to help you plan your future housing needs. It covers sheltered housing and information about buying and renting retirement accommodation.

The Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) offers searchable national, regional and local directories of:

  • retirement housing
  • care homes for older people
  • key home services for older people

Plus, a collection of factsheets, guides and other reading materials about housing, support and care for older people.

Adapting your home to work for you

Adaptations to your home may help you to continue living there for longer.

The Manage At Home Mobility Aids service may be able to help you in the first instance.

Simple adaptations

Adaptations can be simple changes to your home. These might include:

  • grab rails around the bath, shower, toilet or elsewhere
  • additional bannister rails on your staircase
  • small steps to ease access to doors

The Age UK Cambridgeshire Handyperson Services can help older and disabled people with simple home adaptations. Call Age UK between 9am and 4.30pm on 01480 700205 or email chp@ageukcap.org.uk

Major adaptations

If your home is unsuitable for your needs you should consider alternative accommodation first. If moving home is not possible, you may need to consider making major adaptations to your home. For example:

  • an over-bath shower or level access shower
  • a stair lift or through floor lift
  • wheelchair ramps
  • widening doorways

Careful research and planning is important. If you or your family can pay for the adaptions you will usually have more choice and control.

Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)

If a disability or health condition makes it difficult to use your home, you may be able to get help to pay for changes to your home through a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) - GOV.UK. 

You may need to contact us for an Occupational Therapy assessment before applying for a DFG.

The grants are administered by district councils and their associated Home Improvement Agencies.

Further information on adaptations

You can get information on making changes and adaptations at the Age UK website.

Age UK has a factsheet on funding repair, improvements and adaptations that sets out in some detail funding options.

HM Revenue & Customs has information about VAT relief which may be available when purchasing certain items for use by a disabled person.

Home maintenance and assistance

Most councils offer a grant aid or loan scheme for home maintenance such as roof repairs, window replacement where windows are letting in water, and damp proofing. Some may also provide a handyman scheme for more minor repairs.

For further information about what is available in your area, please contact your local housing department.

The Age UK Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Cambridgeshire Handyperson Services can help with minor alterations, repairs, DIY and the installation of grab rails and key safes. Details of the service, including fees and charges, can be found on their website.

There is help available with maintaining your garden. The district councils in Cambridgeshire offer assistance to their tenants in different ways.

Voluntary Community Action East Cambs (VCAEC) has a Helping Hands Gardening Scheme.

Contact 01353 666 166 or email ceo@vcaec.org.uk

Fenland District Council has a garden maintenance scheme for elderly or disabled tenants of Roddens Housing Association.
Telephone: 0800 116 447 or 0300 333 6557

Huntingdonshire Luminus tenants who are elderly or disabled can phone the number below for help in the garden.
Telephone: 01480 428 777

If you don't qualify for the above services you can find a gardener through approved trader scheme. Find out more at the Buy with Confidence website.

Care Micro Enterprises (CMEs) can be used by self-funders, or people supported by a social worker where the Local Authority is paying for all, or part of, your care and can offer holistic home care such as gardening.

Assistance schemes

If you need practical support, you can register with Anglian Water’s Priority Service. It’s completely free, and once you’ve signed up, you can stay on it for as long as you like.

Anglian Water can help a really wide range of people, from those with sight, hearing, or mobility difficulties, to parents with babies under 12 months old. And offer a wide range of support, from reading your meter for you (if you find this difficult), to sending out bills in other formats. It’s all part of the WaterCare service.

Anyone who registers for the WaterCare Service will get:

  • extra help, such as provision of bottled water, when their water supply is interrupted due to planned or emergency works
  • special tariffs for customers whose water use is metered
  • alternative ways of receiving information, such as in Braille, large print or audio
  • caller identity check for reassurance against bogus callers

To find out more or to apply to join the service, call 08457 919 155 or visit Anglian Water – WaterCare. You can also apply on behalf of a family member or neighbour who may benefit from the service.

District councils will offer assistance for people who need support with getting their rubbish and recycling bins out. Go online at each council's website to find out more details. If getting assistance isn’t possible, you might think about asking for a smaller bin that is easier to manage.

The PSR - The Priority Services Register is a free UK wide service which provides extra advice and support, including when there’s an interruption to your electricity or gas supply.

It helps utility companies, including energy suppliers, electricity, gas and water networks look after customers who have extra communication, access or safety needs. It helps tailor services to support households who need extra help with everyday energy matters like bills, and also in the unlikely event of a power cut, gas or water supply interruption.

Help around the house

You could think about employing a local cleaner, gardener or handyperson but make sure that they are reliable and trusted.

Care Micro Enterprises (CMEs) are small, local businesses. CMEs provide personalised care, support and practical help to enable people to live independently at home. Discover how CMEs work and the range of support available Help at Home: Care Micro Enterprises (CMEs).

Home care agencies don't just provide personal care services. For a fee, they can also help with domestic chores, even if you don't need personal support. Find a provider near you and check that they meet national standards:

The Age UK Cambridgeshire Handyperson Service is available for those aged over 65, or with a disability. The aim is to improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents by providing an assessment and home safety check and arranging for small jobs to be carried out.