“We are so lucky and so well cared for.”
Almshouse resident

Almshouses

An Almshouse is a form of sheltered housing that provides safe, stable and affordable homes for later life.

Our Almshouses are a small community of eight self-contained flats nestled around a lovely courtyard garden in the heart of central London – an oasis of calm in a busy Covent Garden. Each resident lives in a private flat and is free to come and go as they please. Everyone knows each other, everyone looks out for each other.

The homes are on the ground and first floors – sadly due to the age of the buildings none of them are wheelchair accessible. Each flat comprises a living room, bedroom (one flat is a bed-sitting room), fully fitted kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower and gas central heating. All flats are provided with kitchen appliances, carpet and blinds. The flats were refurbished a few years ago and look very bright and modern – we celebrated this at our annual Garden Party. St Giles Almshouses’ only communal space is the beautiful courtyard garden. There is no warden on site although the charity’s office is just a short walk away and a Careline alarm service is in operation.

Are you eligible?

You can be considered for our Almshouse if you meet all the following criteria:

Gender: a single woman
Age Requirement: be aged 60 or over
Financial Need: have a low income and limited capital (assets)
Local Connection: have lived (or worked) in the local area for at least 10 years
Live Independently: able to live on your own without any external support or care packages.

Our area of benefit is very small (see map). For the Almshouses, we consider the local area to includes Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Soho and St Giles. If you live or have lived in these areas as an adult for over ten years, then you are eligible to apply (you do not need be living in the area currently). You are also eligible to apply if you worked in the local area but this will be assessed as lower priority.

If you’re not eligible or need accommodation urgently, then contact the Almshouse Association who will be able to advise you of other almshouses in London.

How to apply

With such a small number of flats, St Giles Almshouses only has occasional vacancies. Therefore, we have a two-stage application process.

If you meet our eligibility criteria, then please complete our Expression of Interest Form. Please contact us if you would like a paper copy of the form. We accept expressions of interest at any time and you will be added to the waiting list – you may be at this stage for a long time.

When an almshouse flat becomes available, we contact everyone on the waiting list. If you want to apply, then complete the full application form by the closing date so we have up to date information about your situation. Based on this information, the Trustees will shortlist applicants who are most in need of the almshouse accommodation.

Before the closing date, we will provide an opportunity for any applicants who want to visit the Almshouses to do so.

If you are shortlisted, then a couple of Trustees will visit you in your current home to find out more about you and your current housing situation. A summary of the shortlisted applicants will be circulated to all Trustees with a recommendation for who should be appointed.

A more detailed description of our selection process is available here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of agreement will I have and how secure is it?

A core function of our charity is to provide almshouse sheltered housing. Therefore, your flat is protected by a trust so it can only ever be used for housing. We can only ask you to leave, if there are exceptional circumstances, for example: you no longer meet our eligibility criteria, or you don’t comply with the terms of our agreement. Rather than being a tenant, you will have a licence to occupy your home, making you a legal beneficiary of the Charity. We will issue a Letter of Appointment that sets out your rights and obligations.

Do I pay rent?

Instead of paying rent, you’ll make a maintenance contribution which is paid monthly in advance by standing order. We also accept housing benefit payments. The maintenance contribution is currently £800 per month.

What does the maintenance contribution charge cover?

Contribution towards central staff and administration costs of the charity
Buildings insurance
Maintenance and redecoration of the buildings
Heating and lighting in the communal areas
Cleaning of the communal areas
Upkeep of the garden
Pest control
TV licence
External cleaning of the windows
General repairs and maintenance
Electrical safety (fixed wiring testing and PAT testing)
Gas safety including annual boiler service
Water safety (twice yearly testing)
Fire safety systems assessment, testing and maintenance
Other health and safety requirements

As a result of a historic bequest, the charity pays the water rates, gas central heating and electricity costs on behalf of all the residents. It also provides Careline services for any resident that needs it.

What would I pay for?

All residents have to pay for their own telephone and broadband services, their council tax and other living expenses. They may also want to insure their own belongings.

Can I claim housing benefit?

Residents may be able to claim housing benefit to cover part or all of the maintenance charge, subject to eligibility requirements. It can either be paid to the resident or directly to the Charity as the landlord.

Do you allow pets?

Sorry but you are not allowed to bring pets to St Giles Almshouses.

Gallery

Residents’ stories

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