Extra care housing scheme

Extra Care Housing provides self-contained accommodation with the addition of shared facilities (for example communal lounges, activity rooms), and the availability of 24-hour on-site care services. It is a type of housing that is specifically designed for older people who wish to live independently but may require a little extra care and support to do so.

What is extra care housing?

Enfield Council commissions three Extra Care Housing schemes in the borough – Skinners Court, Alcazar Court and Reardon Court, which collectively provide over 160 homes for rent in the borough.

Skinners Court

Opened in 2006, Skinners Court provides 48 self-contained 1 and 2 bedroom homes for rent and is located in Palmers Green. The flats, which include fully wheelchair accessible homes and common areas, have been built around courtyard spaces which boast some very attractive gardens. Each flat has a living room, a bedroom, a fitted kitchen, and a bathroom – some with level access showers. The landlord is Skinners Almshouse Charity. Chosen Care is commissioned by the Local Authority to provide on-site care services to tenants who live at the scheme. If a person moving to Skinners Court is in receipt of care from a different care provider, they can transfer to Chosen Care. The care provided is tailored to meet the needs of each individual tenant.

Alcazar Court

Opened in 2008, Alcazar Court provides 45 self contained 1 and 2 bedroom homes for rent and is located in Edmonton. The scheme includes fully wheelchair accessible homes and a range of communal facilities including a lounge, dining room, laundry, guest facilities, garden, activities room and a hairdressing salon. The landlord is Housing 21. Chosen Care is commissioned by the Local Authority to provide on-site care services to tenants who live at the scheme. If a person moving to Alcazar Court is in receipt of care from a different care provider, they can transfer to Chosen Care. The care provided is tailored to meet the needs of each individual tenant.

Reardon Court

Reardon Court is a new extra care housing scheme in Winchmore Hill. It opened to residents in the summer of 2024. The scheme provides 70 self-contained, accessible 1 and two bedroom homes for rent. It also offers communal facilities, including a large courtyard lounge and courtyard space with attractive gardens.

Enfield Council owns Reardon Court and is the landlord and housing services provider for its tenants. Chosen Care is commissioned by the Local Authority to provide on-site care services to tenants who live at the scheme. If a person moving to Reardon Court is in receipt of care from a different care provider, they can transfer to Chosen Care. The care provided is tailored to meet the needs of each individual tenant.

Eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria for each of the council’s directly commissioned Extra Care schemes vary slightly. As a general guide, people applying for accommodation should be:

older in age (this means aged 55 years and over or aged 60 years and over, depending on the scheme)
have a need for social care services (as assessed under the Care Act) and require the availability of on-site care, up to a maximum of 25 hours per week

Most people applying for accommodation at one of these schemes will also need to qualify for social housing under the Enfield Council Housing Allocation Scheme (PDF, 745.88 KB). There are exceptions to this in respect of Skinners Court.

How to apply for Extra Care Housing

To register your interest and apply, email extracare@enfield.gov.uk.

If you don’t qualify for social housing under the Enfield Housing Allocation Scheme or meet the criteria for these schemes.

If you’re not eligible for the council’s directly commissioned Extra Care Housing schemes, there are other older person housing options in borough to explore. For more information, visit Elderly Accommodation Counsel – a national charity that helps older people make informed choices about meeting their housing and care needs.

You can also visit MyLife – accommodation options which details other options for housing in later life.