The Lawns Nursing and Residential Home Terms and Conditions
Where self-funding residents are unable to satisfy minimum fee levels, the decision on admission will be at the discretion of the Registered Manager.
If self-funders transition to state-funding or local authority funding during their stay at The Lawns, a private top-up fee may be required if the state or local authority fee is not sufficient.
Self-funded resident fees are payable in advance from the first week of admission, and then at the beginning of each calendar month.
Self-funded resident fees are subject to an annual review in advance of 1st April each year. Notification of the increase will be given one month prior to commencement. The increase will take effect on the date notified unless, before that date, you give us 28 days’ notice to end the agreement. The fee increase will be calculated in reference to increases in the National Living Wage (NLW) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), applied by reference to Wells House Ltd’s split of wage costs vs. all other costs. For example, where your weekly fee is £850, NLW increase is 6%, CPI increase is 2%, with wage costs representing 80% of total costs, your new fee will increase to £894.20, which is a 5.2% increase.
Your fees may increase or decrease at other times where there has been a significant change in your care needs, as assessed by qualified staff. We will consult with you and your representatives and involve you in any decision to provide additional care. Following this consultation, we will give you 28 days’ notice in writing before implementing a change in your fees for this reason, unless your care needs have increased significantly and unexpectedly. Where your care needs increase significantly and unexpectedly, meaning that we need to provide you with additional care or facilities at short notice, we will consult with you and provide you with at least 7 days’ notice in writing of any increase.
Where we give you notice to increase your fees for this reason, you may either:
- Do nothing, in which case the fee increase will take effect on the date notified; or
- Give us notice that you wish to leave. In this case, you will have 28 days (or 7 days where we have given you 7 days’ notice of a fee increase) from the date you notify us, to move out before the fee increase applies; or
- Ask for an independent review of our assessment of your care needs, revised fee level, or both. In this case, we will suspend our notice period until the independent review is completed. If you are unhappy with the outcome of the review, you can still tell us you wish to leave, as above.
You will be entitled to see the details of the assessments we have relied upon as part of the consultation and decision process.
Your fees may also change if, at your request, you move to a different room for which different fees are payable. Details of our current room rates can be found on our website.
Fees, charges, and payments
Self-funding fees
Rooms are priced between £1000 – £1300.
Where an individual receives nursing care, the weekly fee charged for self-funding residents currently ranges from £1000 – £1300 + FNC, depending on an individual care needs assessment. Funded Nursing Care (FNC) is paid directly to Wells House Ltd by the NHS as a contribution to nursing care at a rate of £254.06 per week, as of April 2025.
Please note there is now a £200 per month utility surcharge on all our residential occupancy.
Cost of services
Residential / nursing care, accommodation, utilities, housekeeping, laundry, TV license, and food services are included within the fees outlined above.
Newspapers, hairdressing, installation of private telephone line, internet or cable TV connections, and clothing will be charged separately. Current charges are displayed in the Service Users Guide.
In the absence of free provision by the NHS, the following may also be provided, but shall be charged in addition to the weekly fees: chiropody, opticians, dentistry, physiotherapy, and other privately arranged healthcare.
Care assistants can accompany residents to external appointments at no extra charge, unless the appointment will take more than 2 hours, at which point a charge will be made to cover the care assistants’ hourly rate for each hour of the external appointment, £11.65 / hr from April 1st 2022.
Incontinence pads are prescribed by the NHS. The prescription process can take up to 3 months and the number of pads prescribed may not match resident needs in all circumstances. Where Wells House Ltd is required to purchase incontinence pads for residents, a charge will be applied in line with the cost incurred by Wells House Ltd. You or your representative will be informed of the need to purchase incontinence pads and your agreement obtained before a charge is applied.
Upfront payments
Self-funded resident fees are payable in advance after admission from the first week of admission to the end of the calendar month, and then at the beginning of each calendar month.
Trial period
During the first four weeks, immediate notice may be given by either party; thereafter, a two-week period of notice will apply. Refunds will be made in full for any period paid for but not utilised.
Change in funding arrangements: If a self-funded resident’s funding reserves fall below the recognised minimum threshold, thus requiring intervention from the relevant local authority, it should be noted that a top up to the previously agreed fee will be required to ensure continuation of care. If a private top-up fee cannot be arranged, the resident may be asked to transfer to a less expensive room.
If a self-funded resident becomes eligible for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, the resident may be asked to transfer to a less expensive room should the CHC fee fall below the previously agreed fee.
Contents
Under our present insurance contract, residents’ personal effects are covered up to the value of £1,500 per claim. Under our present insurance contract, all claims made for residents’ personal effects are subject to a £250 excess fee, payable by the Service User or their Advocate, unless otherwise agreed with Management.
We advise that, if a resident has any valuable items in their possession whilst staying at The Lawns, a receipt or valuation report is provided to the Registered Manager or Operations Manager, prior to the possession entering the home.
Pets
Family members are encouraged to bring pets to The Lawns for visits. In exceptional circumstances, pets may be permitted to stay at The Lawns, please discuss this with the registered manager.
Preference for male or female carers
Where we have the appropriate number of male and female carers on duty, we are able to meet a residents’ preference for male or female carers, but this may not always be possible. Please discuss this with the registered manager.
Standard Contract
A copy of our standard contract can be obtained from the registered manager via the contact details listed above.