About sheltered accommodation

In Northern Ireland today, Housing Associations provide over 10,000 sheltered flats or bungalows for older or disabled people.

Schemes are provided by over 18 organisations of various sizes across Northern Ireland and yet research has shown that many people are unclear as to what sheltered accommodation is and what benefits can be derived from it by older people.

What is sheltered accommodation?

Sheltered accommodation is a term used to describe a group of dwellings built in accordance with specific guidelines set by the Department of Social Development, designed for older or disabled people and with support provided on site.

Sheltered accommodation aims to promote residents’ independence for as long as possible while at the same time ensuring contact with support staff and others, enabling residents to access help and assistance when needed. Contact with other tenants ensures that an active social life can continue to be enjoyed even as one becomes frailer.

Most sheltered schemes provide the following facilities and services:-

• Self contained accommodation (apartment or bungalow)

• Central heating

• Scheme Supervisor service

• 24 Hour Call Centre Support

• Communal rooms for social use

• Laundry room

• Guest room for friends or relatives

• Landscaped gardens

Residents will usually hold a secure tenancy although some are leaseholders or owners.

Tenants of sheltered accommodation are in every regard independent, free to come and go and have visitors as they wish, subject of course to the provision that nuisance is not caused to other tenants of the scheme.

• Download our Directory of Sheltered Accommodation ( 2613 KB)