The Laurel
The Laurel is a residential care home in St. Albans, Hertfordshire (AL4 0QA).
About The Laurel
The Laurel is a small residential care home in St. Albans. We support adults with a learning disability or autism, including younger adults, and we offer respite stays as well as permanent places. We think a good home is one where the people living in it are genuinely in charge of the ordinary things. What is for tea, what time the music goes on, whether today is a day for going out or a day for staying in. Staff are there to make those choices possible, not to manage them away. Where someone wants to take on more for themselves, whether that is cooking, shopping, using the bus or holding down a job or a college course, we support it steadily and without fuss. St. Albans is a good place to live and we use it. People here get out to the shops, the parks, the leisure centre and the cafes, and keep up the interests and friendships they had before they moved in. We work closely with families and with the professionals involved, and we keep the communication going both ways. The Care Quality Commission has not yet published an overall rating for The Laurel. We are happy to talk through how we work, how we staff the house and how we support people who communicate in ways other than speech. If you are looking for a place or a respite stay, please get in touch and come and visit.
Care provided at The Laurel
- Learning disability and autism support
- Younger adults care
- Respite care
Read the full inspection report on the CQC website.
How The Laurel compares in St Albans
Measured against the 38 care homes registered in St Albans. The dark dot is this home.
- Size
- 1 places. Smaller than 33 of the 38 homes. The local average is 30 places.
- CQC rating
- Not yet rated. 24 of the 38 homes (63%) are rated Good or Outstanding.
- Registered
- December 2022. One of the newer homes in the area. Only 9 of the 38 have registered more recently.
- Food hygiene
- 5 out of 5. The top rating, shared by 26 of the 30 homes that have one.
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Data: CQC register and Food Standards Agency ratings. Counts cover registered care homes in St Albans.
The local picture: St Albans
What the numbers say about care for older people in St Albans, in Hertfordshire.
What care costs in Hertfordshire, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|
| Residential care | £906 | £1,585 to £1,856 (Middle half of prices from 12 Hertfordshire homes. Median £1,700.) |
| Nursing care | £1,036 | £1,800 to £2,126 (East of England figure, because too few Hertfordshire homes publish this price. 17 homes. Median £1,935.) |
| Residential dementia care | Not published separately | £1,678 to £1,874 (Middle half of prices from 12 Hertfordshire homes. Median £1,766.) |
| Nursing dementia care | Not published separately | £1,870 to £2,100 (East of England figure, because too few Hertfordshire homes publish this price. 10 homes. Median £1,940.) |
Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.
- People aged 75 and over: 14,400. Rising to 16,500 by 2035, up 14%
- People aged 85 and over: 4,300. Rising to 6,100 by 2035, up 41%
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 1,900. Rising to 2,400 by 2035, up 23%
- Dementia diagnosis rate: 62%. The NHS ambition is 67%. Hertfordshire as a whole is 64%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 69. Hertfordshire average is 79.
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 1 closed. 3 changed owner, covering 120 beds.
- Care home beds filled across Hertfordshire: 86%. The 12 month average is 85%.
- Who pays, across Hertfordshire (estimate): 34% council, 49% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, dementia estimates, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.
Good to know about The Laurel
Facts from public registers, and what is close by.
- Registered with CQC
- 16 December 2022, so 3 years.
- Food hygiene rating
- 5 out of 5. Very good. Last inspected by the local council on 1 May 2025.
- Run by
- London Paramount Care Ltd, which runs 26 adult social care services in England. 3 of the 4 that have a rating are rated Good or Outstanding.
Sources: CQC register, Food Standards Agency, OpenStreetMap contributors. Distances are in a straight line from the postcode, not walking or driving routes.
Local services near The Laurel
The closest places to this home, measured in a straight line from its postcode. They are the nearest, not necessarily the ones the home uses. Ask the home which GP, dentist and pharmacy its residents are registered with.
Nearest 24 hour A&E
- Barnet Hospital, Barnet, 6.1 miles away
It is about 6.1 miles in a straight line from the postcode. The drive is usually longer. In an emergency call 999; the ambulance may take you elsewhere.
Nearest GP practices
Nearest dentists
Nearest pharmacies
Nearest railway stations
- Welham Green Station, 1.6 miles away
- Brookmans Park Station, 2.1 miles away
- Hatfield (Herts) Station, 2.3 miles away
Around The Laurel
- H: The Laurel
- A: 24 hour A&E
- G: GP practice
- D: Dentist
- P: Pharmacy
- S: Railway station
Straight line distances, not routes. Places very close to the home are spread out slightly so they can be told apart.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Practice and pharmacy details from the NHS England Organisation Data Service. A&E sites from NHS England A&E data and the Organisation Data Service. Railway stations from the Department for Transport NaPTAN dataset. Distances are straight line and approximate.
Local care news in Hertfordshire
More local care news for Hertfordshire
Common questions about The Laurel
Where is The Laurel located?
The Laurel is a residential care home in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0QA. You can view its exact location and get directions from the map on this page.
What type of care does The Laurel provide?
The Laurel is registered to provide residential personal care, with support that includes Learning disability and autism support, Younger adults care, Respite care. The full list of services is shown on this page.
Does The Laurel offer respite or short-term care?
Yes. The Laurel offers respite and short-term care. Availability changes regularly, so it is best to enquire directly.
Questions families ask about The Laurel
Can Mum or Dad stay here if their dementia gets worse?
No. The Laurel is not listed for dementia care on the CQC register. If dementia is likely, choose a home that is, so a second move is not needed later.
Is there a nurse on site if health needs change?
No. The Laurel is a residential care home without on-site nursing. District nurses and GPs visit, but someone who needs daily nursing may have to move to a nursing home.
Can they try a short stay before deciding?
Yes. Yes. The Laurel offers respite and short stays, which is a good way to see whether the home is the right fit.
Will they support end of life care, so there is no move at the hardest time?
Ask the home. End of life care is not listed on the register. Ask the manager whether residents can remain in the home with hospice or district nurse support.
Can she bring her cat or dog?
Ask the home. The home has not told us its pet policy yet. Ask directly; some homes allow small pets in residents' rooms or welcome visiting dogs.
Can a couple stay together?
Ask the home. We do not know whether the home has rooms for couples. Ask about shared or adjoining rooms if this matters.
Will the council help pay, or is it self funded only?
Ask the home. The home has not told us which funding it accepts. Most homes take both council funded and self funded residents; ask about council rates and any top up.
Do they take younger adults as well as older people?
Yes. Yes. The Laurel supports younger adults as well as older people.
Can I visit before deciding, and are there visiting hours?
Ask the home. Every home should welcome a visit. Call to arrange one, ideally at a mealtime or during an activity, and ask about visiting hours for family.
Typical weekly fees in the East
The Laurel has not published its fees yet. These are typical weekly fees for the East, so you know roughly what to expect before you call.
- Residential care: £1,000 to £1,350 per week per person, typical range
Indicative figures for the East, not a quote from The Laurel. Actual fees depend on the room, the level of care and how it is funded.
Explore more
More care homes in St. Albans
Browse all care homes in St. Albans.