Circular SWSG7/94 5458 - Community Care - The Housing Dimention

ANNEX 1A

Types of Community Care Housing

1. There is a wide variety of housing which can be provided for community care groups. Some of these will include in-house support staff. A non-exhaustive list is:-

- group homes. A small communal domicile, often used by people with the same or similar type of disability, or recovering from the same health or social problem. Separate and private facilities may be combined with shared living space and kitchen and bathroom facilities.

- core and cluster housing provides a central core of communal accommodation linked to individual accommodation, (not necessarily on the same site).

- sheltered housing including the provision of warden services. Provision for Independent living in separate facilities, but there are communal facilities and often (not always) accommodation for warden services. (See also Annex 1B.)

- very sheltered or extra care housing including such services as one meal a day, individuals have their own living space - bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, but in addition there are communal facilities plus accommodation for 24 hour care staff. (See also Annex 1B.)

- very sheltered or sheltered housing serving the elderly with dementia.

- hostels - variety of provision and sizes, characterised by shared living and provision of communal facilities and often meals.

- wheelchair housing; Individual housing designed specifically for wheelchair users.

- mobility housing - Individual housing for the ambulant disabled.

- barrier free housing - Individual houses built to barrier free specification offering maximum flexibility. This is often appropriate to the needs of others besides those with physical disabilities, for example those with learning disabilities, but is not adequate for wheel chair users.

- Amenity housing which includes many of the physical features of sheltered housing but not warden or other support.

Building Regulations

2. Under the building regulations, residential accommodation for up to 6 people would be classified as a Dwelling, Purpose Group 1. Above this number the accommodation would be classified as Purpose Group 2. The regulations allow certain concessions for shared residential accommodation within Purpose Group 2B where the accommodation is provided for up to 10 people.

3. In some of the categories described above the residential accommodation may be classified as Purpose Group 1, and the communal accommodation as Purpose Group 2. These classifications will have a bearing on sound insulation and fire escape requirements. The local authority should be consulted at an early stage to agree the classification.