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Sheltered housing

In Northern Ireland today, Housing Associations provide more than 10,000 sheltered flats or bungalows for older people or people with disabilities.

Sheltered housing

Sheltered housing properties have generally been built for older people and/or people with disabilities. The accommodation is usually self-contained flats or bungalows. These often have an alarm call system and a warden who visits regularly, or lives on the premises.

You can find out more about sheltered housing on the Housing Executive website. And, you can search for sheltered accommodation near you, or for services provided by the Supporting People Programme which will help you continue to live independently.

Facilities and services

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 indpendent, 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.

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