Make a difference you can see
Help someone build confidence, learn everyday skills, stay connected to their community and live with greater independence.
Become a Shared Lives adult carer in Herefordshire
Could Shared Lives fit your life?
Make a real difference to someone's life from your own home, earn up to £650 a week for each adult you support, and choose a way of caring that can fit around your life.
You do not need previous care experience or to own your home. You’ll get free training and ongoing support from Herefordshire Council.
Start a conversationIt starts with an informal conversation. You can ask questions and explore whether Shared Lives could be right for you without making any commitments.
Up to £650per week for each adult supported
Flexible optionsthat can fit around family life or jobs
No previous care experienceor home ownership or qualifications required
Free training,careful matching and ongoing support
Rewarding work. Flexible options. A good income.
Shared Lives is a chance to do work that really matters, build a genuine relationship and receive payments in a way that works for a wide variety of people and lifestyles.
Receive a good income
Shared Lives carers receive up to £650 per week for each adult they support. The amount is determined by a Shared Lives assessment. Our team will explain what income you would get before you need to make any commitment.
Shared Lives carers are self-employed and qualify for Qualifying Care Relief, which offers significant tax advantages. It means some or all of your Shared Lives payments may be tax free! Individual circumstances vary.
Works flexibly to suit you
You could support someone during the day, offer short breaks, or welcome someone into your home as part of a long-term arrangement. You may be able to combine Shared Lives with another job, family life, enjoying hobbies, and other commitments.
Get support at every stage
You will receive free training during assessment, help with careful matching, ongoing support from a dedicated specialist Herefordshire Council co-ordinator, and the encouragement and friendship of a wider Shared Lives carers network.
Could being a Shared Lives carer work for you?
Shared Lives carers come from many different backgrounds and homes. What matters is the kind of support you can offer, your willingness to learn and your commitment to helping someone live a safe and fulfilling life.
You must be aged 18 or over and live in Herefordshire.
You could be:
- Single, married or living with a partner
- Living with or without children
- A homeowner or a tenant
- Employed full time or part time, self-employed, retired or between roles
- Experienced in care or completely new to it
What matters most
You may be well suited to Shared Lives if you:
- Enjoy helping people build confidence and independence
- Are patient, reliable and open to learning
- Can offer a safe, welcoming and consistent environment
- Are happy to share everyday activities, interests and relationships
- Are willing to complete the assessment, checks and training
- Want to work in partnership with the person you support and the Shared Lives team
You do not need to decide whether this could be suitable for you before getting in touch. Let’s have an informal conversation and you can discover more.
Choose a way of caring that could work for you
Shared Lives can be tailored to different people, homes and routines and the time you have available. The team will help you explore which type of arrangement could suit you and the person you may support.
Shared Days
Spend agreed time with someone during the day, at home or out in the community. You might cook together, enjoy a shared interest, travel somewhere new or work towards their independent living goal.
Shared Days can be a practical way to combine Shared Lives caring with other work or family commitments.
Short breaks
Welcome someone for an agreed overnight stay or short period. This could give their family carer a break or provide support for a limited time.
Short breaks can be occasional or regular, depending on the arrangements.
Long-term Shared Lives
Welcome someone to live with you as part of your home. You share everyday life while helping them stay safe, connected and as independent as possible.
Long-term Shared Lives creates stability, belonging and lasting relationships that create real happiness and mean everyone can thrive.
Not sure which option could suit you? You don’t need to choose before contacting the team.
Small moments can make a big difference
Through ordinary day-to-day life, you can help someone build confidence, learn practical skills, stay connected to their community and live with greater independence.
Shared Lives carers support adults with a range of needs, in long term arrangements and people who need short-term support or to give their existing carer or families a break
Shared Lives stories
Jacqui's Shared Lives story
Sheila's Shared Lives story
Maurice and Simone's Shared Lives story
Ness's Shared Lives story
H's Shared Lives story
From first conversation to careful match
Becoming a Shared Lives carer usually takes between three and six months. The process is thorough because it needs to be right for you, your home and the person you may support.
Have an informal conversation
Tell us a little about yourself, your home and what interests you about Shared Lives. Ask anything you need to know and share your thoughts on what it would mean for you. This conversation does not commit you to applying.
Apply and begin your assessment
If you decide to continue, you will complete a formal application. We will spend time getting to know you, your experience, your relationships, your lifestyle and the type of support you could offer.
Complete free training and checks
You will receive free, in-depth training during the assessment period. Herefordshire Council will review your home and complete the required references, landlord or lender and DBS checks.
Receive approval
As you’d expect, your assessment is then independently reviewed. Approval confirms the type and number of Shared Lives arrangements you can offer.
Meet a possible match
The team looks at your strengths, interests, home and lifestyle alongside what the person needs and wants. You meet and spend time together, and you both decide if it’s right for you.
Get ongoing support
Your dedicated co-ordinator will be there and in touch throughout your time as a Shared Lives carer. We help with questions, review how it is going with everyone involved and help you make the most of this unique role. You will also be part of a network of Shared Lives carers who understand what it’s like, can offer informal support, friendship and a great forum to share experiences and advice.
A proposed match is never an instruction. You and the person being supported will decide if it’s right for you.
Your Shared Lives questions, answered
Do I need care experience or qualifications?
No. You do not need previous care experience or a care qualification. The team will consider the skills and qualities you have developed through work, family life, relationships and your community. You do need to be willing to learn and complete the assessment and training.
Do I need to own my home?
No. You can become a Shared Lives carer if you rent, provided your accommodation is suitable and the necessary permission is in place. The team will explain what confirmation is required from your landlord or mortgage lender.
Do I need a spare bedroom?
You will need a spare bedroom if someone will live there, or stay with you overnight.
Can I apply if I live alone, have a partner or have children?
Yes. Single people, couples and families can apply. The assessment considers your whole home so that everyone understands the role and any future match is suitable.
Can I combine Shared Lives with another job?
Potentially, yes. Many carers combine Shared Lives with full-time or part-time employment, self-employment or other commitments. Shared Days and short breaks may offer more flexibility, while a long-term arrangement will of course become part of your everyday life. The team will help you explore what is realistic and works best for you.
How much could I receive?
Shared Lives carers receive up to £650 per week for each adult they support. Rates vary depending on the type of arrangement. Shared Days and short-break arrangements are paid differently from long-term Shared Lives. We will explain the current rates before you decide to go ahead.
Could I support more than one person?
Some Shared Lives carers support more than one adult, up to a maximum of three. This is not automatic or expected. Approval and matching depend on your home, experience, and the individual needs of each person.
Am I employed by Herefordshire Council?
No. Shared Lives carers are self-employed. This offers flexibility, but it also means you are responsible for registering as self-employed and managing the relevant tax and financial arrangements. Shared Lives carers qualify for significant tax advantages.
What tax benefits may apply?
As you would have self-employment status, there are significant tax advantages. Shared Lives carers can claim a Qualifying Care Relief tax allowance. This means you receive payments up to a specified amount without paying tax, whether you offer long-term, short-break or Shared Days support. We will share all the relevant government guidance, and you can also take independent tax advice of course, if you need it.
How long does the assessment take?
The assessment and training period usually takes between three and six months. It includes several conversations, regular meetings with the team, a home review, checks, references and free training. We will ensure you are fully prepared and be sure Shared Lives caring is suitable for everyone involved.
What training and support will I receive?
The necessary training is free of charge and covers all the practical knowledge you need to be a Shared Lives carer. As a Shared Lives carer, you will have a dedicated co-ordinator who keeps in contact, visits and reviews arrangements with you. You can also join the Shared Lives carer network which offers great support, friendship and a forum to share experiences. We will provide any additional training needed, ongoing and always free of charge.
Herefordshire Council covers Shared Lives carers’ Public Liability Insurance when working within council policies, so you don’t need to pay for that. We also offer paid breaks, with alternative support put in place for the person you support. We will explain more and how this applies to different types of caring during initial discussions.
How does matching work, and do we both have a choice?
The team considers your wishes, and your strengths, experience, interests, home and lifestyle alongside what the person being cared for needs and wants. Where there is a good potential match, you will meet and spend time together before anything is formally agreed. You and the person being supported make the decision together, and either of you can say no.
What happens if an arrangement is not working?
Your co-ordinator will stay in contact to support you, answer queries and help if any concerns do arise. We work with everyone involved to try to resolve anything that may come up. If an arrangement is genuinely not right, we will ensure it ends safely. It may be that a different match would be more suitable to you as a carer.
Can I have pets?
Yes. Shared Lives supports pet owners. Pets are also considered during assessment, and the team will look to match you with someone who is comfortable around animals. The aim is to find the right match, not to ask you to change your home life.
Interested? Let's have a conversation
Please get in touch for an informal chat. You do not need to decide which arrangement would suit you best or make an application – we can just discuss what’s involved, answer your questions and help you consider how it could work for you.
Please complete your details and we will be in touch very soon.