I am suffering from mental health issues / impairment, what are my housing options?

There are different types of housing that may be available to you:

Independent living

• Independent living is when you either:
  • Own your own home
  • Rent from a Council, housing association, private landlord or shared house with other people
• You can live independently with and without support
• You will be responsible for paying your housing and living costs such as: food, bills, home furnishings etc.
• If you need support to live independently, you may be able to get help from family/friends, Community Mental Health Team, Social Services or charities.

Supported accommodation

• Generally, this type of accommodation offers a housing scheme/service where housing support and care services are provided together
• It can offer low, medium or high levels of support
• It can be long or short term accommodation based on your individual needs
• Supported housing usually means living in a block or group of houses/flats with other people who need the support too.
• It is usually self-contained accommodation but you may share communal areas.

Living with family / friends

You may wish to ask your family or friends if you can stay with them in their home. This could be a beneficial option for you because:

• You have people around you that can provide you with day-to-day support
• You can share living costs reducing any financial strains
• It can be a suitable short-term housing solution whilst you find accommodation that caters to your needs.

Supported housing

• Supported housing offers specialist support to address a tenant’s specific issues and individual needs. To be considered for supported housing, you generally need to be referred which can be done through a support worker or through the Council.
• You can contact the Council’s Housing team on 01737 276 790.

Registered care homes

• Also known as nursing homes
• They offer 24-hour support and provide meals.
• You usually have your own bedroom and bathroom and share communal areas such as living rooms.
• You can access registered care homes through Social Services’ Adult Social Care Team who you can contact on 0300 200 1005

Private renting

• This route will give you the option to look for a home in an area of choice and the type of property you choose.
• You can secure a tenancy if you have savings or friends/family who can lend you money
• You can apply for Housing Benefit
• You can speak to the Council for further advice on 01737 276 790
• You can use the internet to search for private rented accommodation via search engines such as Google or other websites such as RightMove, Zoopla or Gumtree.

Housing register

• To join the Housing Register, applicants must have a local connection to Reigate and Banstead.
• Depending on your situation you will be placed into a priority band. These range from urgent priority (Band A) to low priority (Band D). We will need you to complete a Medical Assessment Form (online) and you will need to provide evidence of your medical condition(s) and provide details of how your current housing is affecting your medical conditions.
• If you are accepted onto the waiting list, it can take several years before you are successful for a property.
• To apply to join the housing register please complete the online application from which can be found on our website. If you have any questions please call the Housing Register Team on 01737 276 790.

Council

• You can contact your local Council who can offer you advice and assistance depending on your situation.
• The Council may offer you financial assistance to help you secure a private rented property if you are at risk of homelessness and hold a valid local connection. Call on 01737 276 790. for further details.

Hostels

Hostels can provide you with enough time to secure yourself new permanent accommodation and to apply for any support or benefits you may be entitled to. Visit our list of hostels webpage for further information.

eSOS (East Surrey Outreach Service)

eSOS offers support and access to hostels/supported housing to those who are currently rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping. The Council or other support workers can refer you or you can contact eSOS directly via the eSOS website. You must have a local connection to access their service.

Contacts

Useful housing contacts.