About the Better Homes Active Lives accommodation

The housing accommodation has been secured through a partnership between KCC and 10 of the 12 District Councils.

340 units of housing have been delivered by the RSL partner, Housing 21 and consist of 275 units for older people (OP), 58 for learning disabled (LD) and 7 for people with mental health problems (MH).

The accommodation has been procured to a high specification which was developed with Occupational Therapist's, District Managers and teams.

Select from the following list to find out more about our accommodation schemes:

• The Extra Care Schemes
• Supported Accommodation Schemes
• Supported Accommodation for Learning Disability and Mental Health
• Extra Care Sheltered Housing for Older People

If you require for information please contact Better Homes Active Lives.

The Extra Care schemes

• Joseph Hadlum Court, Eastern Avenue, Ashford Kent TN23 1AF - 0370 1924542 - 36 units of accommodation for older people. View image.
  
• King Edward Court, King Edward Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 6ED - 0370 1924520 - 40 units of accommodation for older people. View image.
  
• Bradstow Court, Rumfields Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2FE - 0370 1924432 - 40 units of accommodation for older people. View image.
  
• Buckland Court, Roosevelt Road, Dover Kent CT16 2FE - 0370 1924800 - 40 units of accommodation for older people. View image. 
  
• Emily Court, Barn End Land, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent DA2 7PX - 0370 1924540 - 40 units of accommodation for older people. View image. 
  
• Tovil Green Court, Tovil Green Lane, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6NE - 0370 1924423 - 40 units of accommodation for older people. View image.
  
• Summer Court, Whitegates Close, Hythe, Kent CT21 6AZ - 0370 1924428 - 39 units of accommodation for older people. View image.

Supported Accommodation Schemes

• Alfred Deller Court, Birchington. View image.
  
• Bleriot Court, Dover. View image.
  
• Tiger Court, Canterbury. View image.
  
• John Goldfinch Court, Faversham. View image.
  
• Watercress Court, East Malling. View image.
  
• Adam Court, Wilmington. View image.
  
• Pine Court, Maidstone. View image.
  
• Dolphin Court, Hythe. View image.
  
• George Culmer Court, Westgate. View image.

Supported Accommodation for Learning Disability and Mental Health

These apartments are located in Thanet (Mental Health and Learning Disability), Dover (LD), Canterbury (LD), Shepway (LD), Maidstone (LD), Swale (LD), Tonbridge and Malling (LD) and Dartford (LD).

All schemes have seven apartments for tenants and one for communal/staff with the exception of Dartford which has nine apartments for tenants and one for communal/staff. The apartments have a bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and kitchen. They are all wired to connect in Telecare and have use of a buggy store.

To be eligible for the learning disability (LD) schemes, you must be over 16, have a learning disability and housing need and live in Kent.

To be eligible for the mental health (MH) scheme, you will have a housing need and intensive support need.

A panel meets to consider, review and nominate suitable tenants from the Housing Register with a care need. The decision on who is successful is taken by Kent Adult Social Services (Care Management Teams) and District Council Housing partners.

You must be registered with a housing need at your local Council.

Extra Care Sheltered Housing for Older People

The 275 extra care housing apartments are in Ashford, Canterbury, Dartford, Hythe, Maidstone, Broadstairs and Dover.

Extra Care Housing provides a viable alternative choice to residential care. It offers accessible accommodation to people aged 55 plus with care staff on site 24/7 to allow people to live independently in their own flats with their own front door. It could provide assurance to someone with low level needs who may be isolated or anxious and vulnerable, or to someone who has high levels of personal care needs but are able to otherwise live independently on their own. 

The schemes need to offer a vibrant atmosphere and therefore a mix of peoples needs is crucial to the success. The flats, managed by Housing 21, are in clusters of approximately 40 apartments with a range of one or two bedrooms and are offered for rent with assured tenancies. The facilities include:

• a restaurant (view image),  
• a gym (view image),    
• a hairdressers (view image),
• an internet cafe (view image),
• a shop (view image),  
• communal lounges and licensed bar (view image),    
• staff offices and over night rooms (view image),   
• wheelchair/buggy store (view image),   
• guest bedroom and bathroom - for the whole scheme (view image),   
• laundry (view image),   
• assisted bathroom, self assisted bathroom and luxury bathroom (view image),    

The restaurant, shop, gym and hairdressers are open to the wider community.

There is security access to the tenant apartments and each flat is fitted with an alarm so that people are able to call upon the care staff if, for instance, they have a fall. 

The schemes incorporate design standards for people with dementia. Consideration has been given to ease the problems of orientation and confusion which can affect people with dementia. Each floor is painted a different colour and the pictures are themed to assist people; there are safety features including heat sensors and have a safe and secure garden. Telecare can be easily fitted on an individually assessed basis.    

It is worth noting that the scheme is for people who are able to live independently and the front door entrance to the scheme is not locked.

Terms and conditions

The housing charges include rent, service charge and a small charge for a daily three course meal. Tenants are responsible for their electricity bills, telephone bills and all other expenses for living in your own home.

The care charges are means tested. There is a charge applied for the cost of the 24 hour presence of staff in case of an emergency (wellbeing charge) and a charge will be applied against the assessed hours of care in the care plan.

The wellbeing charge, currently at £25 per week, is an essential aspect of extra care housing which provides 24 hours a day cover. A tenant may never need to use the help available but the knowledge that they can provides the necessary reassurance. (This charge is also means assessed.)

To be eligible, you must be 55 or over, have a social care need and be registered for Housing with your local Council. A panel will consider, review and prioritise the applications to nominate to vacant apartments.

Contact Better Homes Active Lives

For more information please email BHAL.pfi@kent.gov.uk, contact the local housing department or Housing 21 or phone the Project Team on 01622 694272:

• David Weiss, Project Director: Kent County Council
• Christy Holden, Contract Manager - working to the Project Board
• Andrea Melvin, Project Accountant - Kent County Council
   

The Project is governed by a Project Board

• Mark Lobban, Director Strategic Commissioning (Kent County Council)
• Tracey Kerly, Head of Housing (Ashford Borough Council)
• Larissa Laing, Head of Housing - Community Safety and Environmental Services, Canterbury City Council
• Peter Dosad, Head of Housing (Dartford Borough Council)
• Paul Whitfield, Housing Initiatives Manager (Dover District Council)
• John Littlemore, Head of Housing and Community Services (Maidstone Borough Council)
• Pat Smith, Head of Housing (Sevenoaks District Council)
• Bob Porter, Head of Housing (Shepway District Council)
• Amber Christou, Head of Housing Services (Swale District Council)
• Madeline Homer, Community Services Manager (Thanet District Council)
• Janet Walton, Head of Housing (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council)