Independent Living Alternatives
Home care, Barnet
Requires improvement
Rated on
Rating from the Care Quality Commission.
Independent Living Alternatives: inspection record
Rated Requires improvement in July 2026, down from Good.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||||||||||
| Safe | ||||||||||||
| Effective | ||||||||||||
| Caring | ||||||||||||
| Responsive | ||||||||||||
| Well-led |
Ratings published by the Care Quality Commission.
Inspected and rated 3 times since 2017. Rated Requires improvement in 2017, then Good in 2018, then Requires improvement in July 2026.
Its last inspection moved it down from Good to Requires improvement. The latest rating was published 3 months ago.
How it compares locally
- One of 2 Requires improvement home care services in Barnet, out of 58 with a rating.
What inspectors found
From the Care Quality Commission's assessment published 13 July 2026 (assessment visit 29 October 2025). Quoted under the Open Government Licence.
Date of Assessment: 12 March to 9 April 2026. The service is a care at home service providing support to 19 adults who have physical disabilities and live in their own homes. Independent Living Alternatives also supported people who did not receive personal care and in ways outside of our legal remit such as supporting people in the workplace. We did not assess these aspects of their organisation.
The ethos of the service is to promote the rights of disabled people, by placing the person in control of the management of the care they received, as the provider’s policy was only those people who had mental capacity could use the service so they would manage their own care. This was a central part of their values, promoting the rights of disabled people to live normal lives. This control included training staff, choosing staff to be part of their care team, and alerting the management if there were any concerns or issues, rather than the emphasis being on care staff doing this. The policy of the organisation was to also only provide care to people who had live in care or block hours of arranged care, such as 4 hours at a time.
Read the full summary
Despite these positives the registered manager and provider were not always fulfilling their regulatory responsibilities. They were not auditing the quality of the care provided and reviewing actions taken when a concern was raised. Staff were not being given with clear care plans and robust risk assessments to follow. The provider and registered manager had also not ensured staff were fully trained and competent in their work. Nor were they checking the work completed by staff fitted with their organisation’s policies, for example for staff to not administer people’s medicines. The provider and registered manager were not always being mindful of all their legal requirements when managing and delivering the regulated activity of personal care.
There were 2 breaches of the regulations and fundamental standards in relation to ineffective governance and not ensuring staff were competent and trained.
There were other aspects of the management and delivery of the care which fulfilled the regulatory requirements of the registered manager and provider. People received a person-centred care experience which they were in control of. There was a process in place to raise a concern and complaint. However, further work was needed to ensure the registered manager and provider was compliant and fully understood all their legal responsibilities when delivering the regulated activity of personal care.
-
Safe
No rating
Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant some aspects of the service were not always safe and there was limited assurance about safety. There was an increased risk that people could be harmed.The provider was in breach of legal regulation in relation to ensuring staff were competent and trained.
-
Effective
No rating
Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. People’s care and support were not always known by the provider and confirmed they had achieved good outcomes.
-
Caring
Good
Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
-
Responsive
Good
Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through a good delivery of care.
-
Well-led
No rating
Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to requires improvement. This meant the management and leadership was inconsistent. Leaders and the culture they created did not always support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care.
The provider was in breach of legal regulation in relation to the governance of the service.
Questions to ask the service
- Safe was rated Requires improvement on 13 July 2026. Ask how medicines are managed, how staffing levels are decided and how incidents are reviewed.
- Effective was rated Requires improvement on 13 July 2026. Ask about staff training and how health appointments are arranged.
- Well-led was rated Requires improvement on 13 July 2026. Ask about changes in management and what has changed since the report.
Contact and registration details
| Address | Solar House, 915 High Road, London, N12 8QJ |
|---|---|
| Neighbourhood | North Finchley, Barnet |
| Phone | 020 8343 6084 |
| Website | www.ilanet.co.uk |
| Registered manager | Tracey Jannaway |
| Registered with the CQC since | |
| What it provides |
|
| Who it supports |
|
| Inspection reports | 3 inspection reports, latest 13 July 2018 (opens the Care Quality Commission website) Latest assessment published 13 July 2026; CQC's newer assessments are published on its website rather than as reports. |
Inspection report
Read the full inspection report (opens the Care Quality Commission website)The rating is the Care Quality Commission's. We show it as published and do not change it.
Who runs it
| Provider | Independent Living Alternatives |
|---|---|
| Ownership type | Organisation |
| Companies House number | 02390067 (opens Companies House) |
| Charity number | 802198 |
Nearest alternatives
- G IANS- domicilliary care Home care, 0.1 miles awayGood
- – Swifthand Care Services Limited Home care, 0.3 miles awayNo overall rating
- G Dynamic People Homecare Services Home care, 0.3 miles awayGood
- G Fortis Care North London Home care, 0.4 miles awayGood
- G BMM Care Ltd Home care, 0.5 miles awayGood
Getting help from London Borough of Barnet
The council can assess what care someone needs and tell them what help with the cost they may get.
- Adult social care at London Borough of Barnet
- Ask for a care needs assessment
- Phone: 020 8359 5000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- Contact adult social care online
- Support for carers
- Paying for care: London Borough of Barnet
Checked on the council's website, November 2026.
Common questions
- Does Independent Living Alternatives provide nursing care?
- The Care Quality Commission's register does not list nursing care for Independent Living Alternatives.
- When was Independent Living Alternatives last inspected?
- The Care Quality Commission's latest rating for Independent Living Alternatives was published on 13 July 2026.
- Who runs Independent Living Alternatives?
- Independent Living Alternatives is run by Independent Living Alternatives.
- What is Independent Living Alternatives's CQC rating?
- Its overall rating from the Care Quality Commission is Requires improvement, published on 13 July 2026.