The Sycamores, Woodlesford Leeds

The Sycamores will give customers greater choice and control over their care and provide specialist housing which :

• Supports the health and wellbeing of our customers who wish to live independently
• Provides an alternative to residential care
• Ensures that older people have a wider choice of housing and care options including, person centred care and support.
• Increases the supply of specialist homes for older people that are for rent.

What facilities are available?

Our high quality apartments will be unfurnished, allowing customers can make their home their own. Each apartment is equipped with technology so customers can call for support. A guest suite also means visiting family and friends can stay on site.

We will have extensive landscaped gardens and a range of communal spaces, including two lounge areas and a hobby room.

Other available facilities include our cafe, which will provide healthy meals and is also open to the public, as is our on-site salon. Our public areas allow customers to engage and interact fully.

Who will deliver care on site?

A Home Group colleague will be available to deliver care on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week for those who have planned care packages or to respond to emergency needs.

You can choose to have your care packages delivered by another provider.

How are repairs managed?

Colleagues can help you log a repair through our customer service centre. We will also have a handyperson who can help with maintenance and repair issues.

How much car parking is available?

There are 42 spaces in total, four are for disabled users and four have electric vehicle charging points.

Can I bring pets?

This is considered on a case-by-case basis during the assessment process.

Contact us using the form below if you'd like to know more about our pet policy.

Will there be a laundry room on site?

No, but there is space in each apartment for a washing machine or combined washer/dryer.

There will be a communal clothes drying area in the garden.

Will the apartments be to rent or buy?

All of the apartments are available for affordable rent. 

How many one and two room apartments will there be?

There are 15 two bedroom and 47 one bedroom apartments.

Will the apartments be furnished?

No, all apartments will be unfurnished, but when the scheme first opens, flooring and an electric cooker and hob will be gifted to the first person to let each apartment.

The plumbing and electrical points needed for a washer/dryer and network points for phone and broadband will be provided.

Customers will need to provide their own furniture and soft furnishings, but we can support you in sourcing furniture if you don’t have your own to bring.

What are the heating and cooking facilities in the kitchen apartments?

When the scheme opens, an electric cooker and hob will be included and gifted to the first person to let each apartment. There will also be a café where customers can buy meals, drinks and snacks.

What are the bathrooms in the apartments like?

All the apartments have a level-access bathroom with a shower. There will also be an assisted bathing suite for customers who require support with bathing and another bathroom for independent use. These can be booked through our on-site housing management team.

For someone to be nominated to the scheme they must meet the eligibility, which is agreed between Leeds City Council and us, who are the registered provider and will own and operate the schemes.

To be eligible a person should meet the following criteria:

1. Housing and care needs usually associated with, but not restricted to, older people
2. Leeds is their normal place of residence or with a close family association
3. Demonstrable care and support needs or housing that is unsuitable to meet their health and social care needs which may include:
   - Age related frailty
   - Physical/mental health issues
   - Multiple health problems
   - Sensory impairment
   - Loneliness and isolation
   - Safety and security
4. A current or predicted need for planned care and access to emergency support 24 hour, seven day a week. Or an ability to benefit from this service.
5. An eligible need is assessed by Adult Social Care under the Care Act (2014) and as defined by the national eligibility threshold through a Community Care Assessment that is undertaken by adult social care social work team

There are a different ways to apply:

1. Direct to us
   
   Otherwise, you can refer yourself using the form below.
   
   We can then talk you through the process. This includes an assessment with adult social care to determine the level of care and support needed.
   
   
2. Via the council
   
   You can express your interest through Leeds City Council.
   
   
3. With your social worker
   

   If you have an allocated social worker they can complete a referral form or support you to do so. It will then be sent to us alongside any care assessments.

   If you don’t already have a social worker, you can refer directly to Home Group by filling out the form below.  Once we have received this our team can then contact you to talk through the process, which will include having an assessment to determine your required level of care and support needs.

How are the apartments allocated?
Extra care housing schemes hold an Expression of Interest List.  This is not a ‘waiting list’.   This is due to the way the scheme needs to be allocated to ensure a mix of care hours. 

We work with Leeds City Council to agree who will be nominated for an apartment. The care hours for eligible applicants will be discussed at the panel meetings and the applicant allocated into high; medium or low care-need banding.

When an apartment becomes available our scheme manager will liaise with our care manager to establish which customers we can match the care needs of.

Will local residents be able to secure a tenancy?

When allocating apartments, we will consider where an applicant lives and any family associations.

Are the apartments for rent or to buy, and how much do they cost?

All apartments are available for affordable rent only.

Rent

The rent charge has been agreed upon with Leeds City Council and is eligible for housing benefits.

Per week, the rent cost is approximately:

• £150 per week - one bedroom apartment
• £185 per week - two bed apartment

Service charge

In addition, a service charge of around £90 a week.

We also ask for a small contribution for things not covered under the service charges, such as communal WiFi and TV licences. This is currently 30p a week.

Wellbeing charge

We also provide one waking care colleague on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This resource is not allocated to any planned support hours, but used flexibly as required in emergency sitauations. It is also available to all customers (regardless of their chosen care provider or level of need).

This is funded through the wellbeing charge, which is £46.35 per week per apartment and is mandatory for all customers.

This provides:

• Swift response and management by trained reablement team members to alarm calls for ad hoc support and in the case of an emergency, including liaison with other professionals
• The ability for even those with care needs to remain in their own home, safe in the knowledge that help is available if needed
• The ability for the provision of wellbeing activities out of core working hours to optimise social inclusion
• A reduction in the need to increase care packages at short notice, for example hospital discharges, where a customer may require additional short-term reablement support
• A reduced need for hospital admissions/readmissions

Utilities

Gas, electricity and water are all serviced through one main supply to the building and each apartment has its own smart meter.

You pay for these services through us rather than setting up an account with a utility supplier. These meters are all smart meters and the information is electronically gathered and sent to Watkins who are our designated third party metering company.

We will always make sure that the best value is always achieved in purchasing gas, water and electric on your behalf. We can not make a profit out of your utility bills.