Almshouses offer low-cost sheltered housing to people of retirement age who have limited financial resources and live in the local community. This type of accommodation is a British tradition dating back to the 10th century and is mainly run by local volunteers.
Each almshouse is run as an independent charity, and they often have unique eligibility criteria when assessing you, such as:
living in the area for a certain length of time
having worked for a particular profession during your working life
being a single, older woman
identifying with a particular religious faith.
The Almshouse Association provides information about how to find an almshouse charity in your area. HousingCare also has lists of almshouses on its accommodation directory.