Supported Living (England)

Definition

1. “Supported living” is defined by the Care Quality Commission as: 

1. schemes that provide “personal care” to people as part
   of the support they need to live in their own homes; 
2. where that “personal care” is provided under separate contractual arrangements to those for the person’s housing.¹Care Quality Commission, October 2015, Housing with care – Guidance on regulated activities for providers of supported living and
   extra care housing, Glossary of key terms, p 2

2. The accommodation is often shared but can be a single household. 

3. “Supported living” providers that do not provide the regulated activity ‘personal care’ are not required by law to register with the CQC.

Meaning of “personal care”

4. The term  “personal care” in this context is that provided:

1. for someone who is unable to provide it for themself by reason of:
   1. old age,
   2. illness, or
   3. disability, and
2. which is provided in a place where that person is living at the time the care is provided.²The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 No 2936 Sch 1 para 1

5. “Personal care” means:³The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 No. 2936, reg 2(1) def: of “personal care”

1. physical assistance given to someone in connection with:
   1. eating or drinking (including the maintenance of established parenteral nutrition),
   2. toileting (including in relation to the process of menstruation),
   3. washing or bathing,
   4. dressing,
   5. oral care, or
   6. the care of skin, hair and nails (but not nail care provided by a  registered chiropodist or podiatrist), or
2. the prompting, together with supervision, of someone, in relation to the performance of any of the activities listed in paragraph (a), where that person is unable to make a decision for themselves in relation to performing such activity without such prompting and supervision.