• Contents
• Your housing service
• Your tenancy
• Rent
• Your home
• Repairs
• Moving home
• Handy hints
• A-Z index
• Useful contacts

Support services

We want to help any tenants who need support and assistance to maintain an independent lifestyle. If you are interested in any of our services, contact your Neighbourhood Office.

Your questions answered

What housing is available to older people or people with disabilities?

There are three types of accommodation: adapted homes, purpose built homes and sheltered schemes. See Special accommodation. If you are interested in moving to more suitable accommodation you should contact your Neighbourhood Office. See Useful contacts. You need to complete an application form. We can help you do this.

What if I need some help?

If you don't want to move home but need help to manage in your home, you may be able to have adaptations made to your home or to have specialist carers visit you. See Help in your home.

What if I just want to feel I can call someone for assistance?

You can apply to have your telephone linked to the Community Alarm Service. Through this service you can make contact with a trained member of staff at any time of day when you are worried, or are in an emergency situation. By pulling a cord or pressing a button in your home, you can activate the alarm and have a two way conversation with the staff at a control centre. If you are not living in an adapted or purpose built home or sheltered housing, but would like to get connected to the Alarm Service, you should contact your Neighbourhood Office.

Can I get help with decorating?

We may be able to arrange some help. Contact your Neighbourhood Office. See the Useful contacts.

Help in your home

• Tenancy support service. If you are finding it difficult to cope with your household responsibilities you can get help with claiming benefit, managing your bills, settling you into your new home or sorting out problems with your neighbours.
• Adaptations. You may be able to have certain fittings put in such as a ‘flashing light’ doorbell, extra handrails, special taps or a stairlift, or have adaptations made to your bathroom.
• Community alarm service. There is a special alarm service for elderly or disabled residents. This can link your telephone to a control centre which operates 24 hours a day.
• Other help. This could be visits from a Home Help, Meals on Wheels, or fitting some specialised equipment.

Special accommodation

You may want to move to a more suitable home.

• Adapted homes. These are ordinary homes which have had special features put in such as a ramp to the door, grabrails in the toilet or a level access shower.
• Purpose built homes. These are homes designed for people who have to use a wheelchair to move around indoors.
• Sheltered housing. These are groups of self-contained homes for older people where tenants can call on the services of Sheltered Housing Officers. The officers regularly contact tenants to check that they are well and also keep in touch with families and support services. They do not provide medical or nursing assistance. The homes are owned and managed by a housing association called Hanover in Hackney.