Respite Care
Respite care is temporary care arranged to give the main carer a break, ranging from a few hours to several weeks. It can be a short stay in a care home, a care worker coming into the home, or a day centre arrangement. Council funding may cover some or all of the cost depending on a financial assessment, and Attendance Allowance can help towards private costs.
Last updated: March 2026
Caring for someone at home is one of the most demanding things you can do. Respite care gives carers a break — a few days, a few weeks, or a regular arrangement — while making sure the person they look after is safe, comfortable, and well cared for.
This guide explains what respite care is, what your options are, how to arrange it, and how to get help with the cost.
What Is Respite Care?
Respite care is temporary care arranged to give the main carer a rest. It can be provided in different ways depending on what the person needs and what works for the family.
It might be:
- •A short stay in a care home or nursing home
- •A care worker coming into the home while the carer is away
- •A stay at a dedicated respite unit or day centre
- •A live-in carer covering for a period of time
Respite can be planned in advance — a regular booking every few months, or a holiday break — or arranged at short notice when a carer is unwell or in crisis.
Why Respite Care Matters
Unpaid carers are often the invisible backbone of the care system. Many look after a parent, partner, or spouse with little or no outside support, and many wait too long before asking for help.
Carer burnout is real. Exhaustion, stress, isolation, and health problems are common among people who care full-time. Respite isn't a luxury — it's a necessity. A carer who collapses, becomes ill, or simply can't continue has nothing left to give.
Regular respite can give carers time to rest, recover, and look after their own health. It can prevent crisis situations developing and help both the carer and the person being cared for have some breathing space.
Types of Respite Care
Short Stay in a Care Home
Many care homes offer short-term or respite beds. The person stays in the home for a set period — typically a few days to a few weeks — while receiving the same level of care as long-term residents.
This is often the most suitable option for people with significant or complex care needs, where a care worker coming into the home wouldn't be sufficient.
Care at Home (Home Respite)
A care worker comes into the person's home while the regular carer is away. This can range from a few hours a day to round-the-clock live-in cover.
This is often the preferred option for people who are settled in their own home and would find a move disruptive.
Day Centres and Day Care
Day centres offer daytime care and activities for people who live at home. The person attends for a day or half-day, several times a week if needed, while the carer gets time for themselves.
Day care isn't respite in the traditional sense, but for many carers it provides a regular, reliable break during the week.
Sitting Services
Some charities and voluntary organisations provide “sitting services” — a trained volunteer or paid worker who stays with the person in their home for a few hours so the carer can go out.
Age UK, Carers UK, and local carer support organisations often provide or can signpost to sitting services. They're usually free or low cost and don't require a formal assessment.
How to Arrange Respite Care
Step 1: Ask for a Carer's Assessment
If you're a carer, you have the right to a free carer's assessment from your local council. This looks at your needs as a carer, including whether you need breaks to sustain your caring role.
You don't have to be a full-time carer to request one. The assessment is separate from the needs assessment of the person you care for.
Following the assessment, the council may offer support — including funded respite care — if they find you have eligible needs. Contact your local adult social care team to request an assessment.
Step 2: Ask for a Needs Assessment for the Person You Care For
The person you care for may also be entitled to a needs assessment from the council. If they are eligible for council-funded support, respite care may be included in their care and support plan.
Contact adult social care and request a needs assessment. Be clear that you're a carer and that you need breaks to continue in your caring role.
Step 3: Arrange Privately If Needed
If the council assessment doesn't result in funded support, or if you need to arrange respite quickly, you can arrange it privately.
For a care home respite stay, contact homes directly. Many have dedicated respite beds and are used to short-term arrangements. Costs are typically the same as the standard weekly fee for a permanent resident.
For home care, contact a home care agency. Costs vary by region but expect to pay £18 to £30 per hour for standard care, and more for overnight or specialist care.
Who Pays for Respite Care?
Council Funding
If the person receiving care has been through a financial assessment and is eligible for council support, the council may fund some or all of the cost of respite care. The same means-test applies as for permanent care — assets above £23,250 mean the person pays themselves.
NHS Funding
If the person has NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, respite care is included — the NHS pays. If they're not on CHC but are in a nursing home for respite, NHS Funded Nursing Care (£219.71 per week) should apply.
Attendance Allowance and Other Benefits
Attendance Allowance (up to £108.55 per week for those over State Pension age) can be used towards respite costs. It's not means-tested. Carer's Allowance continues to be paid during short breaks of up to four weeks per year.
Grants and Charitable Support
Several charities offer grants to carers who need a break:
- • Carers Trust — local networks sometimes provide grants or funded respite
- • Crossroads Care — provides respite care services in many areas, often subsidised
- • Turn2Us — helps people find grants they might be eligible for (turn2us.org.uk)
Planning a Respite Stay — Practical Tips
Give the home as much information as possible
A good care home will want to know your relative's daily routine, food preferences, how they like to be addressed, their medical history, current medication, any behaviours that might indicate they're distressed, and what helps them feel settled.
Do a visit before the stay
If possible, take your relative to visit the home before they stay there. A familiar face and a familiar building can reduce anxiety when they arrive.
Pack personal items
Familiar objects, photographs, a favourite blanket — these help. Label everything.
Let yourself actually rest
This sounds obvious, but many carers spend the respite period worrying about the person they've left behind, or catching up on every other thing that's been neglected. Try to actually rest. That's the point.
Emergency Respite
If you're in crisis — you're ill, you've been hospitalised, you simply can't carry on — contact your local council's adult social care team immediately. They have a duty to respond to emergency situations and can arrange emergency respite at short notice.
Carers UK helpline: 0808 808 7777 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
Age UK advice line: 0800 678 1602 (every day, 8am to 7pm)
Is Respite Care Right for Us?
If you're asking the question, the answer is probably yes. Most carers wait too long before taking a break. By the time they're genuinely exhausted, arranging respite feels like one more overwhelming task on top of everything else.
The best time to arrange respite is before you need it urgently. A planned, regular break — a week every few months, or a day each week — is far better for everyone than waiting for a crisis.
And if you're worried about how your relative will cope: most people adapt better than their carer expects. Being in a different environment, with different people and activities, can be genuinely stimulating. The hardest part is often letting go enough to take the break.