- Homecare service
London Borough of Merton - Supported Living Service
Assessment report published 27 November 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Dates of assessment: 22 and 25 September 2025.
London Borough of Merton - Supported Living Service provides the regulated activity personal care to people, including people with learning disabilities and autistic people, living in their own flats within 4 supported living locations. At the time of our inspection the provider was supporting 35 people.
We undertook this announced inspection to confirm that the service remained safe and well-led. We reviewed all 15 quality statements related to the two key questions, Is the service safe and well-led? For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at their last inspection to calculate the overall rating. This onsite assessment was conducted by a one inspector.
We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
People received the right support. People were supported to live in self-contained flats at each of the 4 supported living locations. People were supported to personalise their environments and staff ensured they were safe. There were enough staff available at all times to meet people’s needs and preferences safely and effectively. Staff were vetted, trained and supervised.
People received the right care. Staff assessed people’s needs and person-centred care plans were in place which reflected people’s preferences. Staff worked in partnership with people, their relatives and healthcare professionals to assess people’s needs, plan how to meet them and review how they were being met.
The provider promoted the right culture. The service had a person-centred ethos, and people were supported to have choice and control over their lives. People engaged in a range of activities and were supported to develop independent living skills. Staff felt valued and supported and confident sharing their views about improving the service.
People and their relatives told us that people were safe. One person told us, “I’m very well supported.” Another person told us, “The staff are good. I like them. I have known them a long time.” Relatives expressed trust and confidence in the leaders and staff. One relative told us, “The staff make sure my [family member’s] needs are always met in a safe and personalised way as they know them so well and help [family member] without stressing them and making them feel uncomfortable.” Another relative told us, “Because of the staff and I do not have to worry.”
People told us they were happy and liked where they lived. One person said, “I like my room. I have photographs. The staff helped me clean my flat.” Staff supported people to socialise and to engage in activities. One relative told us, “It is the first time in their life that [family member] has lived in a community with friends. They are allowed to do as much or as little in the community. They are gently encouraged to engage.”