What is Homeshare?

Homeshare

Homeshare helps people to stay independent in the places they love to live and builds community connections. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement with both people having something they need and something to give. Homeshare brings two people together to share a home; typically, someone who needs help to live independently in their own home (a householder) is matched with someone who has a housing need (a homesharer). In return for affordable accommodation, the homesharer provides around ten hours of support per week to the householder.

What is the role of the householder?

A householder is usually an older person with a spare room who is willing to share their home, life, skills, and experience with a homesharer. The householder openly communicates their support needs prior to and throughout the Homeshare arrangement. They find they have an opportunity to give back to their community and most rewardingly, offer someone an affordable, safe home to someone that needs it.

Would you or a loved one like some extra help at home?

What is the role of the homesharer?

In exchange for low-cost good quality accommodation, the homesharer agrees to live sociably in the householder’s home and provide around 10 hours of support per week. The type of support offered is agreed between the householder and homesharer. Homesharers do not provide any personal care to the householder, but Homeshare can sit alongside domiciliary carers and other formal social care support services.

Are you looking for affordable accommodation?

Support

The range of support provided, along with the key motivators for involvement might include help with daily living tasks such as:

  • Cleaning/Laundry
  • Shopping
  • Gardening
  • Walking the dog
  • Overnight security/Companionship

The Homeshare relationship is based on trust and friendship, allowing people to live well within their chosen communities. People from different backgrounds, ethnicities and professions take part in Homeshare.

Homeshare is flexible and can be adapted to suit the needs of different groups of householders and homesharers and not just those who are typically older, and younger.

Participants pay fees to the Homeshare business to support the matching process and ongoing support; these fees are significantly lower than the cost of other housing or at-home support options in the local area.

Want to know more?

Read our frequently asked questions for more information on Homeshare or visit the Householder and Homesharer tabs above.