Supported Living in Enfield & London
24-hour, person-centred supported living for adults with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, and complex needs — enabling people to live in their own home with the right level of skilled, compassionate support.
What Is Supported Living?
Supported living is a model of care and support that enables adults with disabilities, mental health conditions, or complex needs to live as independently as possible in their own home — rather than in a residential care home or institution. The individual holds their own tenancy, whether that is a self-contained flat, a shared house, or another type of accommodation, and a tailored package of professional support is delivered in that home.
The level of support can range from a few hours of assistance each day through to round-the-clock 24-hour cover — and is designed entirely around the individual’s specific needs, goals, and preferences. Crucially, the support adapts as the person’s needs and circumstances change, always with the goal of enabling the greatest possible independence.
At Direct2U, we provide 24-hour person-centred supported living services in Enfield and North London. Our support workers are experienced in working with adults with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, autism, acquired brain injuries, and complex or high-dependency needs. We work in close partnership with Local Authorities, housing providers, families, and clinical teams to ensure each person’s supported living arrangement is genuinely enabling — not just safe.
We also provide respite care within our supported living framework, offering families and carers short-term breaks with full continuity of care in a safe, structured, and familiar supported environment.
Supported Living vs a Care Home
Understanding the difference is important when making decisions about the right arrangement for you or your loved one.
| Feature | Supported Living | Care Home |
|---|---|---|
| Own tenancy and front door | Yes — own home | No — resident in provider property |
| Level of independence | High — own routines | Lower — shared routines |
| Personalised support hours | Fully tailored | Fixed staff rota |
| Choice of support workers | Yes | Rotating care home staff |
| Control over daily life | Full — own decisions | Restricted |
| Community access and activities | Fully supported | Often limited |
| Pets allowed | Yes — own home | Rarely |
| Family can visit freely | Yes — any time | Usually restricted hours |
| Funded separately from housing | Yes — housing and support split | No — single care home fee |
| Transition to greater independence | Active goal | Not typically the aim |
For many adults — and their families — supported living represents a life-changing opportunity to live with dignity, independence, and genuine choice. If you would like to discuss whether supported living is the right option, our team is happy to talk it through with you at no obligation.
Who Is Supported Living Suitable For?
Supported living is appropriate for adults who require ongoing care and support but want to retain the independence and identity that comes with living in their own home.
Adults with Learning Disabilities
People with mild, moderate, or complex learning disabilities who are ready to live more independently with structured, person-centred daily support.
Autism Spectrum Conditions
Individuals with autism who benefit from consistent, structured support in their own personalised environment — with sensory-aware, communication-adapted support.
Mental Health Conditions
Adults with mental health conditions — including those transitioning out of inpatient settings — who need daily living support and community engagement in a stable home environment.
Acquired Brain Injury
People recovering from or living with acquired brain injury who require rehabilitation-informed daily support in their own home, with goals focused on independence.
Complex and High-Dependency Needs
Adults with complex or multiple needs — including dual diagnosis, physical disability alongside cognitive conditions, or behaviours that challenge — requiring skilled specialist support.
Young Adults Transitioning from Children's Services
Young adults moving from children's services into adult social care who are ready for greater independence and need supported living as a bridge.
Our Approach to Supported Living
It Is Their Home
We support people in their own home, on their own terms. Every aspect of our support is designed around the individual's preferences, routines, and choices — not around the provider's operational convenience.
Active Support
We use active support principles — ensuring the person is always participating in daily life as fully as they are able, with support graded precisely to what is genuinely needed at each moment.
Positive Behaviour Support
All our supported living staff are trained in PBS — understanding and responding to behaviour that challenges with positive, proactive, and non-restrictive strategies, developed in partnership with the individual.
Consistency of Team
We assign a consistent, small core team of support workers to each person. Familiar faces, familiar relationships, and consistent approaches are not a luxury in supported living — they are essential.
Ambitious Goals
We set meaningful, ambitious goals with each person — whether that is independent cooking, employment, travel training, or a fuller social life — and actively work towards them every day.
Multi-Agency Partnership
We work closely with Local Authorities, housing associations, Community Mental Health Teams, occupational therapists, and clinical teams to ensure the supported living arrangement is coordinated and evolving.
What Our Supported Living Service Includes
Continuous or regular staffed support in the individual's own home
Washing, bathing, dressing, and grooming with dignity and respect
Prompting, administering, and recording all prescribed medications
Teaching and supporting independent cooking skills and nutrition
Cleaning, laundry, shopping, and home management development
Practical support with personal finances and benefits management
Accompanying to activities, leisure, social events, and outings
Building confidence and independence in using public transport
Supporting access to work, college, volunteering, and training
Building friendships, relationships, and community connections
PBS-informed approaches to behaviour that challenges
Makaton, visual aids, AAC, and adapted communication strategies
Monitoring emotional wellbeing and liaising with clinical teams
Waking night or sleeping night staff as required by the support plan
Supported short-break provision within the supported living model
Regular, open communication with families and named contacts
What a Typical Day in Supported Living Looks Like
Every day is different in supported living — because every person is different. Here is an example of how a typical day might unfold for one of our supported living clients:
Morning Routine
The support worker arrives and encourages the individual through their morning routine — getting up, washing, dressing, and making their own breakfast with support graded to what they need that day.
Activity Planning
Together they review the activity planner for the week — the individual chooses what they would like to do today and contributes to planning the day ahead.
College or Volunteering
The support worker accompanies them to their college session or voluntary role, providing the level of in-setting support agreed in the support plan.
Independent Lunch
The individual prepares their own lunch at home — the support worker is present but steps back, offering assistance only if needed.
Community Activity
An afternoon swim at the local leisure centre — the individual has been building confidence here for six months and now enters independently while the support worker waits nearby.
Evening Routine and Handover
Supper, medication, and evening personal care. The day shift support worker completes the daily log and hands over to the night-time support team before leaving.
Arranging Supported Living with Direct2U
Setting up a supported living arrangement involves several parties working together. Direct2U manages the support side of this process, working in close coordination with the individual, their family, the Local Authority, and the housing provider.
Initial Consultation and Assessment
We begin with a free, thorough consultation — meeting the individual, their family, and their social worker to understand support needs, goals, communication, and the level of staffing required. We review existing assessments, EHCPs, behaviour support plans, and relevant clinical documentation.
Supported Living Support Plan
Working collaboratively with everyone involved, we develop a comprehensive support plan covering every aspect of the individual's daily life — from morning routines and medication to community goals, communication strategies, and behaviour support approaches.
Team Selection and Introduction
We carefully select a small, consistent core team of support workers whose experience, skills, and personal approach are well-matched to the individual. An introductory period allows relationships to develop before the full support package begins.
Support Begins and Evolves
The support package begins and is reviewed regularly — through formal reviews with the Local Authority, quarterly support plan reviews, and day-to-day responsiveness to the individual's changing needs and emerging goals.
How Supported Living Is Funded
Supported living has a distinct funding structure that separates housing costs from support costs. Our team can help you navigate this.
Housing Costs
The accommodation element is typically funded through Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit. This is separate from the support funding and is arranged through the housing provider. Direct2U manages the support package only — not the housing.
Learn more about fundingLocal Authority Personal Budget
The support element is funded through a Local Authority personal budget following a care needs assessment. This may be managed by the Local Authority directly or taken as a direct payment, which the individual uses to commission support from Direct2U.
Learn more about fundingNHS Continuing Healthcare
Where the primary support need is a health condition — including complex mental health, acquired brain injury, or high-dependency physical needs — the support element may be funded through NHS Continuing Healthcare. Direct2U works with NHS CHC commissioners across North London.
Learn more about fundingWhat Families Say About Our Supported Living Service
“When our son moved into his supported living flat three years ago, I was terrified. He had never lived away from us, and I worried about everything. But Direct2U transformed what could have been a frightening transition into an extraordinary journey. He has his own home, his own routines, and a life that is genuinely his. He travels to college independently. He cooks his own meals. He has friends. The support team are exceptional — consistent, warm, and completely dedicated. I am so proud of him, and so grateful to them.”
— Grace C., mother of a Direct2U supported living client, Enfield
Supported Living — Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not answered here, please call us on +44 (0) 7394 616696 — we are happy to discuss your situation.
Supported living is an arrangement where an adult with care and support needs lives in their own home — either alone or with others — with a tailored package of on-site support from trained workers. The individual holds their own tenancy and receives the level of support they need, from a few hours a day to 24-hour cover.
Supported living is suitable for adults with learning disabilities, mental health conditions, autism spectrum conditions, acquired brain injuries, physical disabilities, and complex needs who want to live independently with professional support rather than in a residential care home.
In supported living, the individual holds their own tenancy and lives in their own home with tailored support. In a care home, the provider owns the building and the individual is a resident. Supported living offers significantly greater independence, choice, and control over every aspect of daily life.
Yes. Supported living is typically funded through Housing Benefit for the accommodation costs, and a personal budget or direct payment from the Local Authority for the support element. NHS Continuing Healthcare can also fund the support component for those with complex health needs.
Yes. Direct2U provides 24-hour supported living arrangements including waking night staff, sleeping night cover, and round-the-clock assistance for adults who require continuous on-site support with personal care, daily living, and safety.
Our support packages are designed to be fully flexible. As needs change — whether increasing due to condition progression or decreasing as independence develops — we update the support plan in collaboration with the individual, their family, and the Local Authority to ensure the right level of support is always in place.
We always involve the individual in the selection of their support team wherever possible. We present suitable candidates, arrange informal introductions, and take the person's preferences and feedback seriously. A good match between the individual and their support workers is fundamental to a successful supported living arrangement.
Related Care Services
Arrange a Free Supported Living Assessment
Our team is experienced in working with individuals, families, social workers, and housing providers to establish the right supported living arrangement. A free, no-obligation consultation is the first step.
Speak to Our Supported Living Team
We work in partnership with Local Authorities, housing providers, and clinical teams to get the right arrangement in place.
Mon–Fri: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Professional referrals and Local Authority commissioning enquiries are welcome.
A Home of Their Own. The Right Support in Place.
Speak to the Direct2U team today about supported living in Enfield or North London. We are here to help make independent living possible — with the right people, the right skills, and the right approach.