What respite care means
Respite care is short-term support that gives an unpaid carer a break while the person they care for is looked after safely. It can last a few hours, overnight, a weekend or several weeks.
It is not a luxury or a sign that you cannot cope. Most carers find that a planned break makes them better able to care the rest of the time.
The main types of respite care
- Residential respite: a short stay in a care home, from a few nights to a few weeks.
- Replacement care at home: a paid carer comes to the house and covers your usual tasks.
- Day centres: regular daytime support, often with activities and meals, giving you a few hours back.
- Sitting services: a volunteer or paid sitter stays with the person for a few hours so you can go out.
- Family-arranged breaks: a formal rota of family and friends rather than goodwill that fades.
How to arrange respite care through the council
- Ask your local council for a carer's assessment for you and a needs assessment for the person you care for.
- Explain your worst weeks, not your best, so the assessment reflects reality.
- Ask what respite options are available locally and whether there is a waiting list.
- Request a financial assessment to see what, if anything, you will have to pay.
- Get the agreed support in writing, including how to book it and who to contact.
Arranging respite care privately
You do not have to wait for a council assessment. If you can pay, or need a break quickly, contact home-care agencies or care homes directly.
Get at least two or three quotes. Ask about minimum stays, cancellation terms, and whether they can meet dietary, mobility or dementia needs. Check the latest CQC report for any care home you are considering.
What respite care costs in the UK
There is no single national price. Costs depend on where you live, the level of need, and whether care is at home or in a home.
- Care home respite: roughly £600–£1,500 per week.
- Live-in respite care at home: roughly £1,000–£1,800 per week.
- Hourly home care: roughly £20–£35 per hour.
- Day centres: roughly £30–£80 per day, though some council-funded places are free or subsidised.
Who pays for respite care
If the council agrees the person has eligible care needs, they may fund respite. The council will then do a financial assessment. If the person has savings above the local threshold — usually around £23,250 in England — they will be expected to contribute or pay the full cost.
Some carers receive a direct payment from the council that they can use to buy their own respite. Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment can also help with private costs, though they are not specifically for respite.
Planning the break itself
- Book earlier than feels necessary; good places go quickly, especially in summer.
- Do a short trial stay before a longer one where possible.
- Write down the daily routine, likes, dislikes and emergency contacts on paper.
- Keep everyday reminders running so the rhythm is unbroken when you return.
- Agree who is the emergency contact while you are away.
The guilt
Almost every carer feels it, and almost every carer comes back better able to cope. A break is part of caring well, not a departure from it.
The wider picture
a legal right
every unpaid carer in England can ask their council for a carer's assessment, whatever their income or savings.
Source: NHS
5.0 million
people in England and Wales provide unpaid care, according to the 2021 Census.