Intergenerational homesharing explained: how it works and where it came from

How does a homeshare actually work?

Typically, the householder keeps their own home and routines while a homesharer moves into a spare bedroom. Kitchen and living areas are shared. Instead of paying market rent, the homesharer gives time: evening company, shopping, light housework, gardening or simply being there overnight.

Homeshare UK describes the usual commitment as roughly ten hours of help a week, with no rent paid to the householder. Both parties instead pay a fee to the local programme that matches and supports them, and the homesharer often contributes towards household bills.

What homesharing is not

A homesharer is not a carer. UK programmes are explicit that personal care, such as bathing, lifting, feeding or administering medication, falls outside the arrangement. Where someone needs that kind of support, a homeshare can run alongside a separate professional care service.

One idea, several names

The practice travels under different labels. British and international networks speak of homeshare; France uses cohabitation intergénérationnelle solidaire, Spain convivencia intergeneracional, and Germany Wohnen für Hilfe, literally living in exchange for help. The core bargain of space for time stays the same.

Where did homesharing begin?

Most histories trace structured programmes to the United States in 1972, when Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Panthers advocacy movement, set up the first schemes. Her aim was to connect older people rattling around large houses with younger adults struggling to find affordable rooms.

From pilot schemes to an international network

In Britain, Nan Maitland, who had homeshared herself since the early 1980s, launched the first formal programme in London in 1993. Six years later she founded Homeshare International, a volunteer-run body created to share practice between programmes in different countries.

In April 2019, Homeshare International entered a partnership with Shared Lives Plus, the UK network for shared living schemes, which now describes itself as its new home. Elizabeth Mills, honorary director since 2007, stepped down from that role while remaining on the board.

How national models differ

Although the principle is shared, programmes diverge on age limits, money and legal status. The table below compares four documented national approaches, using figures published by the organisations themselves. Amounts and rules change over time, so always check current terms with a local provider.

How widespread is it today?

Homeshare UK reports programmes in 16 countries, stretching from Canada to Korea and from Austria to Australia, and more than 20 programmes within the UK alone. Most remain small and locally run, which explains why the model is still unfamiliar to many families.

France publishes some of the clearest statistics. The Cohabilis network, formed in 2020 from two earlier networks, counted 54 member organisations, with 1,000 new agreements signed in 2023 and 35,000 people supported since its first association opened in Paris in 2004.

Why the idea keeps returning

Two pressures drive interest: older people living alone in homes larger than they need, and younger adults priced out of rented housing in university cities. Homesharing addresses both at once without new construction, which explains its appeal to councils, universities and charities.

Who is homesharing for?

Householders are usually older people with a spare room who want company or a little help to keep living independently. Homeshare UK stresses that the model is flexible, and some programmes also accept younger householders who need support to stay in their own home.

Homesharers tend to be students, early-career workers or trainees on placement. Leeds Homeshare, run by the city council, asks applicants to be over 18 and ideally working, studying or financially independent, since welfare benefits could be affected by the arrangement.

What does it cost each side?

No rent changes hands in UK schemes, but fees do. When checked in October 2026, Leeds Homeshare listed a £180 monthly fee for homesharers, a fixed share of bills usually under £20 a week and a one-off £50 background check fee.

The usual path to a match

Programmes follow broadly similar steps, built around careful assessment rather than speed. The sequence below reflects the process described by UK providers; continental schemes add their own variations, such as direct university involvement in the Madrid programme.

1. Contact a local programme and complete an application.
2. Meet a coordinator for an interview and assessment.
3. Provide references; homesharers also undergo a DBS criminal record check.
4. Have the householder's home assessed for safety and suitability.
5. Attend an introductory meeting with a proposed match.
6. Sign a voluntary agreement and start a trial period of two to four weeks.
7. Receive regular check-ins from the coordinator.

Common misconceptions to drop

Families new to the idea often arrive with assumptions that do not match how programmes actually run. Clearing them up early saves disappointment on both sides, and helps the coordinator propose a match that reflects realistic expectations from the very first meeting.

• Homesharing is a cheap form of live-in care.
• Anyone with a spare room can host without checks.
• A voluntary homeshare agreement works exactly like a standard tenancy.
• Only students can become homesharers.
• Every match is meant to last for many years.

Frequently asked questions

The questions below come up most often when older people, their adult children and prospective homesharers first hear about the model. Answers are general; a local programme can explain how its own rules, fees and safeguards apply to a particular household.

How long do homeshares usually last?

Homeshare UK gives an average match length of nine months, while its longest running match had passed five years when the figures were published. Leeds asks for a minimum of six months, which suits students and workers on fixed placements.

Do householders get paid?

Not in UK programmes. There the householder receives help and company rather than money, and pays a fee to the programme. In France, by contrast, the young person may pay the host a modest monthly contribution, depending on what the written agreement says.

Can a homeshare end early?

Yes. Agreements are voluntary and usually include a notice period; in France either side can end the arrangement with one month's notice. Coordinators often step in first to mediate, since many tensions come from expectations that were never discussed openly.