What is Shared Lives and how much do carers get paid?

At a glance

• Shared Lives is a care service where approved carers support adults or young people in the carer’s home through day support, short breaks or long-term placements.
• It helps people with needs such as learning disabilities, mental health issues, physical disabilities or young people leaving care to live in a family-style environment.
• Carers are self-employed. They typically earn £350-£650 per week per person living with them, plus contributions towards household costs and access to tax relief.

What is Shared Lives and how does it work?

Shared Lives may suit adults and young people who need support to live more independently.

You can visit or live with a Shared Lives carer in their home with their family.

This differs from live-in care, where a carer comes to live with you in your home.

A Shared Lives carer can provide day support, short breaks or long-term support for one or more adults.

A key part of Shared Lives is finding a good match. Before an arrangement begins, you and the Shared Lives carer will usually have opportunities to get to know each other and decide whether the arrangement feels right.

Eligibility and referral arrangements vary, so your local Shared Lives scheme or local authority can explain how the process works in your area.

If you are an adult needing support, you may:

• Be a regular visitor to the carer’s home for day support but may not live with the carer.
• Stay overnight in their home for a specific number of nights a week /month.
• Live in the carer’s home temporarily as a short break (respite for usual carer).  
• Live in the carer’s home as part of a long-term placement.    

Who can benefit from the scheme?

If you need support, you may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities, dementia, mental health issues, alcohol/drug dependence or other conditions that make it harder for you to live alone.

Shared living may also benefit a young person who has left the care system and needs somewhere to live and a family environment.

Who can access Shared Lives and how they are referred can vary depending on where they live. Your local authority or Shared Lives scheme can explain the eligibility criteria and assessment process in your area.

What do Shared Lives carers do?

• Carers often treat you like part of their own family. They may even go on holiday with you, take you out shopping, to the cinema and to family celebrations like birthday parties.
• Support you can receive may include personal care (help with showering and getting dressed), medication management, meal preparation, help attending medical appointments, social activities, pursuing hobbies, and education and work opportunities.    
• The carer can decide how much work they take on. This includes how many people they care for, how often and for how long.

Who funds Shared Lives?

Local authorities are investing in these care services.

• The carer is paid for the care they provide. This is based on that person’s local authority care assessment of what support they need.
• An adult needing support will contribute towards accommodation and living costs from their housing benefit part of Universal Credit, ESA – Employment Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or Severe Disability Premium.

How much do Shared Lives carers get paid?  

Shared Lives carers are self-employed and receive a fee rather than a salary. The local council or NHS usually funds this. According to Shared Lives Plus, a carer may earn between £350 and £650 a week when someone lives with them.

• A carer can receive payments for one or more people who visit them regularly or live with them.
• Carers are paid a fixed fee to support someone living with them.
• Carers receive a financial contribution towards their accommodation/rent and household costs, e.g. food, electricity and water.

Tax breaks for carers

Shared Lives carers may be able to claim Qualifying Care Relief (QCR), a form of tax relief for people who provide certain types of care in their own home. How much tax relief you can receive depends on your circumstances and the amount you earn. You can check the latest Qualifying Care Relief rules and thresholds on GOV.UK.

Can anyone be a Shared Lives carer?

Not everyone will be suitable to become a Shared Lives carer. You will need to meet the requirements of your local Shared Lives scheme and complete its assessment and approval process. Carers must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a good-sized spare bedroom.
• Be a full-time UK resident or have leave to remain.
• Have the time to care for someone.
• If you have a criminal conviction that relates to an offence against children or vulnerable adults or a sexual offence, you cannot be a Shared Lives carer.  
• You must be trained and assessed by a Shared Lives scheme before you can be approved as a carer.
• No qualifications or experience are required to be a carer, but you will receive training. Mandatory training includes First Aid, Medication Awareness, Food Safety, Hydration, Nutrition, Infection Control, Moving and assisting, Safeguarding Adults.

Shared Lives schemes are inspected and regulated by England’s Care Quality Commission (CQC).  If you would like to become a carer with the scheme, contact Shared Lives Plus. It has a network of carers across the UK.    

What is it like to live with a carer?  

A carer can share not just their home but also their family life with you. This happens as a carer builds a good relationship with you.

The benefits of this scheme include helping you build confidence, become independent, socialise, make new friends, learn new skills, and improve educational and employment opportunities.    

Shannon: ‘It’s changed my life for the better’

Kuldip lives in Godalming, Surrey has been a Shared Lives carer for seven years with Surrey Choices Shared Lives.

The former foster carer decided to change careers, so she became a Shared Lives carer after her grandchildren came to live with her.  

Kuldip shared her home and supported Shannon.

Kuldip said: “I was always interested in people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions.
“I like to do things with them, like cooking, shopping and going out, sitting down, talking about your day.”

Shannon said: “It’s changed my life for the better. I had so much trouble in my life. Since I’ve been here, she’s taught me how to do things that I couldn’t do. Like helping me to cook properly, do my cleaning, and do what she does best.

“She treats me like her own granddaughter. She welcomed me so much since I’ve been here”.  

Kuldip added: “I don’t feel like I do anything special, and to me I mean I like a challenge. I like to get the best of everything. You know, I don’t like to give in. I see what I can do; do your best.

“As long as I can, you know walk and I can do things, I’ll carry on doing it. I enjoy doing what I’m doing”. 

Next steps

• If you’re looking for Shared Lives support: Contact your local authority or local Shared Lives scheme to find out whether Shared Lives could be suitable for you and how referrals and assessments work in your area.
• If you’re interested in becoming a Shared Lives carer: Contact a local Shared Lives scheme or Shared Lives Plus to find out about opportunities in your area. You’ll need to complete an assessment and approval process, which usually includes checks and training.

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