Extra Care Housing | Provider Hub

Market Context

Extra care schemes are defined as accommodation that provides access to 24-hour, seven day (24/7) on-site care and support for older people and people with disabilities, many of whom may also have care and support needs met by Adult Social Care as part of our duties under the Care Act 2014.

Extra care schemes are for older people and people with disabilities who want to live in their own home with access to on-site care and support 24/7, if they need it. It means living in a safe property, with self-contained apartments in a well-maintained scheme in the heart of the community that is purpose built and tailored to the needs of older people and people with disabilities.

Extra care schemes are an important part of a wider accommodation pathway of care, support and housing solutions, enabling independence and positive outcomes for people. They can prevent and delay a move into less independent settings such as residential care.

Market Rating

The quality of the care in the extra care schemes is good. The market supply is low/moderate. Essex County Council’s ambition is to increase the number of extra care schemes; therefore Market maturity is evolving. The demand for extra care is good.

Market Quality	Market Supply	ECC Demand
Moderate/Good	Low/Moderate	Stable/High

ECC Ambition	Market Workforce	Market Maturity
Increase Supply	Good	Evolving

ECC rating of the market, assessed 1st April 2026.

Essex County Council currently has a contract with the on-site care and support provider at each of the 14 affordable rented extra care schemes in Essex at which placements are made by Adult Social Care. There are 9 different landlords and 5 different on-site care and support providers for the 14 schemes.

The on-site care and support contract with providers includes:

24/7 on-site support. This provides a 24/7 in-person response to any unplanned care needs and/or emergencies. This 24/7 on-site support is available to all residents at the scheme and must be in place for a scheme to be designated as extra care, both in Essex and nationally.
The provision of planned personal care for residents who wish to receive their personal care from the on-site care and support provider.

Essex ASC Market (ECC Funded)
Annual extra care spend with the on-site care and support providers	£6.7 Million
No. Schemes - Contracted	14
No. Apartments - Contracted	633
% of on-site care and support providers CQC rated Good or Outstanding (of the schemes with a CQC rating)	89%
Average No. of people placed by ECC receiving support from the on-site care and support provider	400
Average Scheme Occupancy	95%
Average Contracted Rate per hour with the on-site care and support providers	£23.11
Average Length of Stay (Years)	3 years 4 Months

The information shown in the table(s) above is correct as of 1st April 2026.

Essex County Council has produced information about its approach to extra care housing in its “Extra care housing in Essex, supplement to the MPS”. A link to the document can be found below. The supplement to the MPS seeks to:

Provide information to help extra care housing providers make informed decisions about where there is demand and need for extra care housing in Essex.
Provide information to assist local housing and planning authorities in Essex when developing their Housing Strategy, Local Plan and other strategic documents.
Provide information for care providers so that they are aware of where new schemes are proposed and where opportunities for them to provide services may arise.

View the Extra Care Supplement.

Essex County Council has developed its own design guide for the development of new extra care housing schemes. The Design Guide is intended for those commissioning, designing, reviewing, and assessing proposed extra care housing schemes. It sets out Essex County Council’s aspirations for the design and location of extra care housing in Essex. Proposed affordable rented extra care housing should comply with the design guide and market extra care housing should have regard to the design guide..

View the Extra Care Design Guide.

The ambition is to bring forward 9 new affordable rented extra care schemes providing circa 540 apartments with Essex County Council nomination rights. These new schemes will contribute towards meeting the need for rented affordable extra care housing identified in the Essex Supported and Specialist Housing and Accommodation Need Assessment (2025) (SSHANA) and set out in the Extra care housing in Essex, supplement to the MPS.

Current market risks:

There are several risks associated with the development of the proposed 9 new extra care schemes. These include: securing planning permission; viability of the development; the increased cost to build; and capacity of registered providers to develop. We are also yet to identify suitable sites in Basildon and Castle Point.
Increase in the cost of care due to increases in national living wage and cost of living.

Our current area of focus is:

Progressing the development of the proposed new extra care schemes.
Continue to maximise ASC referrals and ensure the continued high occupancy of the 14 existing extra care schemes.
Continue to promote extra care schemes as community assets and maximising social activities within the schemes.
Continue the use of some extra care and sheltered housing apartments for the 'Stepping-Stone Home' service, as an alternative to an interim residential care placement for people with care needs who are unable to return/remain at home in the short term.

Last updated: 01/04/2026

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