If you're a planner, if you work for a local authority, if you're a developer or you have a media/press enquiry, please use the links on the left. Everyone else please read on if you're looking for:

• More information on cohousing
• Cohousing groups near you
• Other people near you that might be interested in cohousing
• First steps towards cohousing, and how this website can help you

Here's a quick link to information on how to register with the UK Cohousing Network on this site. If you're not sure exactly what cohousing is, we recommend reading on before deciding whether to register with us...

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Is cohousing for me?

If you've come to this website, most likely you're asking yourself this question. This site will help you understand:

• What exactly cohousing is and how it differs from other forms of intentional community
• Developing your own cohousing community is a big challenge: it's been compared to getting married or having a baby! So informed realism is an essential need for prospective cohousers
• Cost: make sure to read about the experiences others have had in the UK (see below.) It's a key aim of the UK Cohousing Network to seek ways of making cohousing as financially accessible as possible. So watch this space for future developments.

Is cohousing right for you? To answer this question, it's well worth taking a look at the Diggers and Dreamers website, and getting hold of a copy of their regularly updated book. Diggers and Dreamers reveals the huge variety of intentional communities in the UK. Cohousing is just one form. Which one best suits your needs and aspirations?

More information...

If you want to understand cohousing in more depth, and get a feel for what it's like living the cohousing life, there's plenty to read here, and signposts towards other sources of information.

Take a look on the right at the list of tags. Click on one to view all information on that subject. Note, when you're reading, what tags and categories are in the bottom right of articles - these will take you to similar content.

If you can't find what you're after via the tags, read the rest of this page for more ways into the website. Still no luck? Then write to us. We suggest starting with these two tags:

• Testimonies: what is it like living in cohousing? Take a look at the testimonies tag to read testimonies from people who are doing just that. There's some great stories on the 'views from US cohousing' page for instance. This is perhaps the best way to get a feel for it, short of actually visiting a site and spending some time there.
• How-to summaries: There are only a few established cohousing communities in the UK; the United States has about eighty and Denmark - which has been building cohousing since the 60s - has hundreds. So we're still learning, and still pushing for government and developer recognition. But these UK-based write-ups show that it is possible, though they also demonstrate the scale of the challenge.

As well as our tagged information, this website has plenty of links to other sites to give you a flavour of what cohousing is like. For instance, there is a clear outline of the common features of cohousing, with a six-point definition, at the US Cohousing Association's website. The Canadian Cohousing Network's site also has plenty to peruse. We also have a list of books if you're keen to learn more. If you're serious about cohousing, it's definitely worth getting hold of a book or two.

Finding other cohousers

If you've decided cohousing might be for you, there are three things you can do:

• Look in the marketplace to see if there are any cohousing units to rent or buy in the UK currently, or whether any developing projects are at the stage of getting commitments from new people.
• Browse our directory of developing projects either via our UK cohousing map or by looking at our list - browse by established or developing projects. Developing projects may be at any stage prior to actually moving in: from just forming a group to selling off the last few plots. Take a look at a particular group's page to find out where they've got to. Some of them will have a contact link at the top of their page, others will want you to contact them via their own website. One or two may be closed to new people, but these will be the exceptions.
• Set up a new cohousing group: if there's no already existing group to join near you that meets your aspirations, consider starting your own. If you are thinking of doing this, we can offer some help - see below.

How this site can help you get your own group started

• Register on the website: click here for a guide to registering with the UK cohousing network. If you register, you will also have access to a 'people-map' where you can look for like-minded people near you and, if you want, you can appear on the map too so others can contact you.
• Read our suggestions on starting a new group. You may find some people for a new group via the people-map here, but you may well find more by getting out there and promoting cohousing yourself with a public meeting.
• Contact us if and when you want your newly formed developing group to have a space on this website.

If you do have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us. We'll get back to you as soon as we can.

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