Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service

562 Hitchin Road, Stopsley, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 7UG

01582548561

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

29 September 2023

Provider

Luton Borough Council

Beds

9 beds

Rating history

GoodOct 2018
Requires ImprovementNov 2023

Rating dropped from Good to Requires Improvement in 2023.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

This is the only care home Luton Borough Council runs in England.

Average care home fees in the East of England: £1,034 a week for residential care and £1,411 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service

Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service is a welcoming residential care home in Luton, offering families a trusted place to turn when their loved ones need support. The dedicated team here understands how important it is to find care that feels genuinely personal and considerate, and they bring that commitment to everything they do. Families searching for care in the Luton area will find a service that takes the time to get things right for the people who matter most to them.

Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service supports people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder across two services. The care home provides respite care for up to 9 people, with 6 people being supported at the time of inspection. The respite service supports 65 people on a rotational basis.

The shared lives scheme offers long-term placements, short breaks and respite care within family settings. Together, these services provide accommodation and personal care tailored to individuals' needs and preferences.

Source: CQC inspection report, 21 November 2023

Specialist Care

Learning disabilitiesMental healthOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing; Shared Lives
Registered capacity: 9 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · LU2 7UG

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Learning disabilities; Mental health conditions; Physical disabilities.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Requires improvement.

Rating report published 21 November 2023. Latest inspection date recorded: 29 September 2023.

Safe: Requires improvement
Effective: Requires improvement
CaringPublished 11 October 2018: Good
ResponsivePublished 11 October 2018: Good
Well-led: Requires improvement

Questions prompted by these ratings

Safe: What changes have been made to medicines, staffing and safeguarding since this rating?
Effective: How are staff training, nutrition and health outcomes checked now?
Well-led: What has changed in management, checks and oversight since this rating?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service, consider asking...

1.What happens if my relative's care needs increase significantly -- will they have to move?
2.How do you handle concerns or complaints from families?
3.What does the monthly fee cover and what will cost extra?
4.How do you keep families informed about their relative's day-to-day wellbeing?
5.What happens if my relative is unhappy here?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service, look out for...

1.Do staff greet residents by name and stop to chat?
2.Are residents dressed, up and occupied, or sitting alone in front of a TV?
3.Does the home smell fresh and feel clean without being clinical?
4.Do residents look comfortable and at ease, or anxious and withdrawn?
5.Does the manager answer your questions openly or deflect?

Could the NHS fund Luton Council Respite and Shared Lives Service's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees