Homeshare support tenants

This page tells you about homesharing.Homeshare is when a disabled person invites someone to live with them in return for some support. The 'homesharer' has their own room in the householder's property. They give support with things like cooking, or socialising.

The homesharer is like a support tenant but Homeshare is a special scheme run by Shared Lives Plus: www.sharedlivesplus.org.uk.

What does it cost?


This is up to the householder and the homesharer to sort out.

They will have to decide things like:

  • Will the homesharer get paid?
  • What they should pay towards things like food and bills.
  • How they will pay these things.
  • If the homesharer will pay rent.

What is good about Homeshare?


There are some good things:

  • The householder does not have to pay for support.
  • Because the homesharer lives in the property, they provide company and friendship.
  • Both people get something from homesharing, rather than one person giving a support service.

What is not so good about Homeshare?


There are some things that aren't so good:


  • The householder must have a home with space for the homesharer.
  • Some people will need more support than a homesharer can give.
  • It is not very secure for the homesharer.
  • The householder must feel safe sharing their home.
  • It could affect benefits like council tax.

An example


Cally is 25 and lives in a small market town in a two-bedroom flat. Cally has lived most of her life with her parents and has never gained the skills or confidence to live on her own.

Cally lives with her Homesharer, Kat, who is also 25 and works for the local council. Kat really values the chance to live in the flat, rent-free, and be close to where she works.

Cally often forgets to eat properly. Kat helps Cally plan and prepare meals and the two women often sit down together to eat and to share stories about their day.

Cally finds it hard to meet people and to make friends so Kat and Cally will sometimes go out and meet people together.

Cally's Mum is very close to her daughter and she gives Kat support and advice so that she can support Cally well.

Example provided by Shared Lives Plus
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Learning Disability England
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