Residential care homes and nursing homes

Housing options for people with higher support needs.

Care home bedroom with wheelchair and window
You can live in a care home with other disabled people with similar disabilities.
Care homes are usually for people who need a lot of support with personal care and daily living.
You will have your own bedroom and sometimes your own bathroom.
The rest of the living areas are shared with other people.
Care homes are often quite small, with 3 to 12 residents.
Depending on your needs, you could stay in a care home long term.

What’s good about residential care?

They provide 24 hour care for people with high support needs.
You have to pay some of your housing and support costs, but the council covers the rest.

What’s bad about residential care?

You won’t have much independence.
You won’t have any choice over who you live with, and you might not like living with them.
It’s not open to everyone. You will have to have an adult social care assessment to see if you meet the requirements.
You have less rights than you do in some other housing options.
You won’t have much money left, as it will all go towards your care costs.
There aren’t many places available for young people.

How do I access residential care?

You will need to request an adult social care assessment from the council.
They will check to see if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Request an adult social care assessment:

You can get details of local residential care homes on the Care Choices website.

You can live in a care home with other disabled people with similar disabilities.

Care homes are usually for people who need a higher level of direct support with personal care and daily living, usually 24 hours a day.

plans and books on a sunny window sill

You will have your own bedroom and sometimes your own bathroom, but the rest of the living areas are shared with the other residents. You won’t have any choice over who you live with.

Care homes are often quite small, with 3 to 12 residents.

How long can I live there?

Depending on your needs, you could stay in a care home long term.

How much does it cost?

If the council decides you are eligible to move into residential care, they will assess your finances to see how much you can afford to pay.

You will likely be left with very little personal income, as nearly all your money will go toward paying for your support and care. The council will pay for the rest of the accommodation and care costs.

What’s good:

good  24 hour care for high support needs

good  all support and housing costs are covered by the council package

What’s bad:

bad  lack of independence

bad  no choice over who you live with – you might not get on

bad  requires adult social care assessment

bad  less rights and privacy than when renting

bad  low personal income as it all goes towards care

bad  lack of placements for young people

How do I access residential care?

To get residential care, you will need to be assessed by the council’s Adult Social Care department.

Learn about adult social care assessments on your council’s website:

You can get details of local residential care homes in Brighton & Hove and East Sussex on the Care Choices website. Put in your postcode and the type of care you are looking for and get results for all the relevant care homes in the area.