Could you be a Shared Lives carer and help form life-changing friendships and families?

That's the impact Lancashire County Council's Shared Lives service has had on Marie, according to her carer and housemate, Gill Jay.

Shared Lives is a unique type of care for adults aged 18+ who may be living with a physical or learning disability, or who have any other care and support needs.

People are carefully matched with a carer who they then move in with, to join their family and learn new skills.

Carers can access all the advice they need to carry out their role which involves supporting people with tasks such as cooking, cleaning, personal care and going to appointments.

They also support people to take part in their favourite activities which could be anything from walking to forest adventures and skydiving.

Lancashire County Council's Shared Lives service is the biggest in the country and is now encouraging more people to become Shared Lives carers and make a huge difference to someone's life in 2025.

Shared Lives carers receive a generous allowance of between £500 - £650 per week and can qualify for substantial tax relief on these earnings.

Shared Lives Carers John and Lorraine Crabtree

John and Lorraine Crabtree have been part of Shared Lives for eight years.

The couple, from Bacup, got in touch with the team in Lancashire after a relative became involved with the scheme in another area of England.

"We love it, we have a lot of fun," says Lorraine, a former hairdresser and care worker.

"They keep us young.  The house is full and alive.  It’s chaos but we wouldn’t have it any other way."

John, who used to run his own business, agrees, adding:

"We have a lot of laughs, and we go away with them quite a bit. It definitely keeps us young. We have to keep up with them. We recently went to Scotland to a forest adventure, and we all did the activities, like sky diving and the zip line."

Shared Lives carers Dave Kuchczynski and David Osbaldeston

Dave Kuchczynski and David Osbaldeston, from Morecambe, have been involved in Shared Lives long term for five years.

Dave, who used to run a restaurant, says:

"It’s amazing. My parents had been doing it for years, and the people they had been supporting came to live with us when my parents retired, so we took over their primary care, continuing with that and respite and day support.

"One of the people we support was not sociable. Now, he has an active social life, does his own washing and lunches and helps out. He’s got a girlfriend and has just been to Blackpool.

“We think it’s fantastic.  It’s really good when you see them doing something that they wouldn’t normally have done independently.”

Shared Lives carer Gill Jay

Gill Jay, from Farrington Moss, has been a Shared Lives carer for eight years and is currently supporting two people; Marie, who has learning disabilities, and Lewis, who is autistic

Gill said:

"It’s the best thing I ever did. I was always at home for my kids and I was lucky enough to be able to stay at home and do that while working part time as a child minder.

"I always thought I could do day support and then I found out about Shared Lives. I was out walking with my husband Martin one day and said this is what I want to do.

"When Marie first moved in she wasn’t that keen and I wondered if it would work, but now she says I’m her best friend. We get on so well. We go out a lot together and she tells everyone that I’m her best friend. I’ve changed her life."

County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said:

"I’m immensely proud of our Shared Lives service, not only of our fantastic carers who provide amazing support, but of the staff in the team, who are there for our carers, giving them advice and guidance whenever they need it.

"When our Shared Lives service was last inspected by the Care Quality Commission, it received an ‘outstanding’ rating – and outstanding it is.

"We were highly commended for our recruitment of staff and carers, our investment in skills and training and our commitment to integrated working.

 "Indeed, the people we support – and they are the important ones – have often said that our carers and staff are exceptionally compassionate and kind and that they feel included in, and part of, the family that is caring for them.

"Shared Lives helps to enhance people's independence and support vulnerable adults to live a much better life, giving them a stronger emotional wellbeing and a greater connection to their local communities."

For more information you can visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/sharedlives

You can also email sharedlives@lancashire.gov.uk or call 01772 531326.