Leeds Homes

The Service

Retirement LIFE (Living in a Friendly Environment) provide independent living options for those aged 60+ with support that can be tailored to suit your daily needs. Retirement LIFE may also be suitable if you are under 60 but would benefit from this additional support.

We have a team of dedicated Support Officers who can visit you up to 5 times per week, Monday-Friday, depending on your preference. The frequency of contact  can be updated at any time. Support Officers can offer tailored advice and complete referrals for further support if needed.

You will receive a lengthier visit every 6 months, to discuss important topics such as any changes to your health, social life, or finances. We check in with you on these issues to ensure our support is meeting your needs and identify any areas we can help.

“It was a lovely, friendly, open chat and was conducted very well”

The Accommodation

Throughout Leeds we offer a mixture of accommodation types across over 120 schemes. This includes houses, bungalows and smaller blocks of self-contained flats with nearby communal facilities, as well as complexes with a larger number of self-contained flats and access to a community room and onsite facilities. Many of our schemes benefit from nearby shops and strong transport links.

"We all look out for each other here, and the bungalow I'm in is suited to my mobility."

Facilities vary but can include:

• Communal kitchen, which can be used to prepare food for special occasions
• Communal lounge, for relaxing with friends and family, playing games or reading a book
• Communal garden
• Laundry facilities
• Guest flat for family/friends to use at a small charge

"[The flats have] pleasant, comfortable, good-sized rooms and everybody is lovely - they can't do enough for you”

Please see here for further information on the accommodation in Guiseley and Yeadon. 

Social Life

Social engagement and inclusion are priorities at Retirement LIFE. We want all our residents to feel valued and find joy in their everyday.

We offer activities which vary in each area but may include:

• Gardening club
• Coffee morning
• Crochet club
• Movie afternoons
• Weekly quiz

As we support independent living, we encourage residents to hold their own activities in the lounges too. We have a lot of successful resident-led Bingo sessions, for example. For some activities, a small contribution will be requested to cover costs.

Our activities are open to older residents in the local community, so can be a chance to widen your social circle by meeting new people.

“We have a good social life at the scheme which is very handy for meeting people and keeping in touch about things”

Questions and Answers

1. Is support available 24/7?

Our Support Officers are available Monday-Friday 8am – 5pm. If individual residents have carers, we will provide access for them to come when needed so they can access 24/7 support. Repairs can be reported 24/7 via an emergency repairs telephone line.

You could also consider Tele Care services. Leeds Tele Care can provide 24-hour monitoring of alarms and sensors, which sends an alert to the response centre, where staff can get you the appropriate help. This service comes at an additional cost, with a choice of packages to suit individual needs. You can find out more here Telecare - help alarms and safety in the home | Leeds.gov.uk.

2. Are staff able to carry out Personal Care and household tasks?

Our staff are not able to assist with any personal care needs, but they can refer you to Adult Social Care for further help if you are struggling with this.

Household tasks, such as shopping or cleaning, cannot be completed by Support Officers. You can find services to support with these tasks here Leeds Directory Maintaining your Home and Garden. Support Officers can talk through these options with you.

3. What costs are involved?

You will pay rent to Leeds City Council; your rent account will be managed by your local housing office. Rent charges are set each April using the government’s formula for social housing rent. The rent for individual properties can be found on the Leeds Homes advert. Some properties may also have a Service Charge.

The money you pay in rent goes towards the cost of providing you with the services you receive as a council tenant. The main items of expenditure are repairs and maintenance, loan charges, operating costs and employee costs.

For the support we offer there is a Support Charge which is set at £9.82 for the 25/26 year. Some of our homes will also have a service charge / charge for communal facilities. This varies for each scheme and will be displayed on the property advert. The money collected from this is used to maintain the facilities.

4. How is safety ensured?

All our buildings benefit from controlled entry, some use a fob, and some have a keypad. We ask all residents to keep doors securely closed so the building can only be accessed by residents, staff and authorised guests.

Support Officers will be available on site, or within the local area, during working hours should any safety concerns need to be raised. Support Officers carry out monthly Health and Safety Inspections of our buildings and report any findings to the relevant department to have them resolved.

"It's a really lovely community round here. I've never lived somewhere so nice."

5. How does the transition process work?

Shortly after moving in, a Support Officer will visit you in your new home. They will make sure you are settling in and discuss a range of topics, from scheme activities to emergency contact details. You can use this as an opportunity to ask any questions or share useful information about your lifestyle and needs. The Support Officer and Housing Officer will check that you have everything you need to live independently and safely.

You will receive a separate visit from a Housing Officer within the first 28 days of your tenancy too. They will be able to provide more information around your tenancy, rent and maintaining your home.

“It's made me feel more positive about the future.”

6. Are meals provided?

Our Support Officers do not provide meals. Regular meals should be prepared within your own self-contained kitchen. If this is something you struggle with, you may wish to consider services who can provide meals to your home, such as Presto.

Some activities may include food sourced from elsewhere and we will always display allergens. There will usually be a small charge associated with these activities.

7. Are there curfews or visitor restrictions?

No, we promote independent living, and residents can have guests over whenever they like. Residents are responsible for the behaviour of all guests, and they must adhere to the Tenancy Agreement and ensure all guests are respectful of other residents.

8. Is there somewhere to store a mobility scooter?

Some of our schemes benefit from an on-site scooter storage pod. These are allocated by the local housing office on a ‘first come’ basis. If the scooter pod is full, or you live in a property without a scooter pod, they can be stored within your property with permission from the housing office. They need to be stored safely, and guidance can be provided on this.

9. Can the property be adapted to suit my needs?

Many of our properties already benefit from adaptations, so you might find one available that suits your needs already. If not, an Occupational Therapist can attend property viewings with you to recommend adaptations. This could include small changes, like grab rails, and in some circumstances, it may be appropriate for bigger changes to be recommended, like a wet floor shower.

Your Leeds Homes Application will need to reflect your needs to ensure that any property offered to you will be suitable. If you haven’t already, you will need to contact Leeds Housing Options on 0113 222 4412 or housing.options@leeds.gov.uk to make them aware of your needs. You can also update your application online by logging into the Leeds Homes website using your LHA number.

10. Are pets allowed in Retirement LIFE properties?

Dogs and cats are allowed in properties with their own individual entrance, this applies to most of our bungalows and some of our flats. The maximum number of dogs/cats allowed in any property is usually 2. There is more flexibility for smaller pets, such as fish and hamsters. For any pet, you will need to apply to the local housing office for written permission and this will be considered on an individual basis.