Where to live

Leaving home to live independently can be a big decision. Although you will have more freedom, you will also have more responsibilities.  

You can find out what options are available to best support your independence on the main Hounslow Council website.

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Council housing

Council housing is only available if you are on the housing register in Hounslow.

Being on the register does not guarantee that you will be offered housing. This is because demand is high.

This page provides information on other housing options, which we encourage you to explore before seeking council housing.  

You can read about eligibility and apply for council housing on the main Hounslow Council website.  

Supported living accommodation

You may need some extra support to help you to live independently.

The level of support or assistance you need will depend on your age and the type of special education needs and disability (SEND) condition you have.

Supported living organisations in Hounslow: 

  • Look Ahead: Young people's supported accommodation
  • Elysium: Learning disabilities supported accommodation
  • MENCAP: Supported living services
  • Maya Supported Living: Provides personalised care for individuals with physical and mental disabilities, learning disabilities and other complex needs 
  • Penmar Supported Living: Care services for people with learning disabilities

Supported living organisations in surrounding boroughs:

Extra care housing 

Extra care housing allows you to live independently but get regular help from care staff, a nurse or a doctor.

There are four extra care housing schemes in Hounslow:

You can contact the First Contact team at Hounslow about extra care housing by:

Rent with a private landlord 

You can live in a property that someone else owns and pay them an agreed amount of money each month.

This is called paying rent or renting.

The person who owns the property you live in is known as the landlord, landlady or homeowner.

When you rent a property, you will have to sign a contract which states what you and the landlord are both responsible for doing in, on or to the property. This contract is called a tenancy agreement. When you sign a tenancy agreement, you become known as a tenant.  

When you rent a property privately, you will be responsible for paying the rent money yourself. You may need some help learning to budget your money.

You may be eligible for help with this payment through a benefit called Universal Credit. For more information on Universal Credit, see:

You can read more general information about privately renting on the main Hounslow Council website.

Buy a home 

You may be able to buy a home privately depending on how much money you have.

Most people do this with the help of a bank loan, called a mortgage. You pay back a mortgage in agreed amounts every month.

To buy a home with a mortgage you will often need to pay some money first. This is called a deposit and is usually between 5% and 20% of the house price. 

Mortgage amounts depend on:

  • the bank you go to
  • how much of a deposit you put down
  • how long you agree to repay for

You can read more information about getting a mortgage or buying a home on the Citizens Advice website.  

Shared ownership schemes

Shared ownership is where you own part of a property and rent the other part from the landlord.

The share you can buy is usually between 25% and 75%.

You also need to pay a deposit, which is between 5% and 10% of the share you’re buying. 

You can:

HOLD scheme

If you can't buy a home that meets your needs in a shared ownership scheme, you can apply for the home ownership for people with long-term disabilities (HOLD) scheme.

The HOLD scheme gives you a chance to buy a home that meets your needs on shared ownership terms. This means you can buy a share of between 10% and 75% of the house price.  

This scheme is only available in England. 

You can:

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