Supported Living schemes for adults with a disability are defined by Essex County Council (ECC), and the two property types which fit this definition are:

• A cluster of single occupancy units which are grouped together either within a purpose-built block or within a defined area (such as a street) with an element of shared (core) support for all service users.  Essex County Council's view is that ideally there would be no more than 14 units clustered together and each single-occupancy unit should have its own bedroom, bathroom/wet room, kitchen and living/dining area.

• Tenants live in a shared house or bungalow and have their own bedroom, ideally with an en suite bathroom or wet room, but share every other part of the property with other tenants. Accommodation should, at a minimum, include a fully equipped kitchen and a communal living/dining area.  Group sizes in this type of tenancy would generally be small, normally between 2 and 4 tenants depending on the size of the property and communal areas.

Within these schemes there is usually shared or 'core' support.  All properties are tenancy based, with the landlord being separate from the support provider.