Finding suitable respite care – your complete guide

Written by Zenya Smith • 09/12/24

What is respite care?

Respite care is a temporary form of care that allows primary caregivers to take a break. Allowing someone else to take over care duties for a short period of time – whether that be a few hours, a few days or a few weeks, doesn’t mean you’re letting the person you’re caring for down. Caring is an emotionally and physically challenging job and taking a break ensures you give yourself time to look after yourself – enabling you to support them better and be more present when you return.

Respite care can also be a lifeline when you need specific skills or when you’re unable to give a loved one as much time as you’d like. For example if they’ve recently left hospital and need more complex care during their recovery period.

Respite services can provide a positive experience for the person receiving care too. It can give them an opportunity to spend time with new people – reducing feelings of isolation, and can open up new experiences.

Why it's important to take regular breaks

One in seven people in the workplace in the UK are juggling work and care.

68% of carers have cut back on hobbies and leisure activities and 60% have reduced time spent seeing family and friends

What are my respite care options, and how will I know which is best?

There is a surprisingly wide range of respite options available in the UK. However which one is right for your loved one and situation will depend on the level of care they need, where they feel most comfortable, how long you need support for, and of course, your budget.

Unsure what's available? You're not alone

According to The Social Care Institute for Excellence, 36% of carers don’t know what services are available to them. This rises to 47% for carers who have been supporting a loved one for less than a year.

Befriending services

If you’re loved one is independent and can safely navigate daily life, however you’re worried about them becoming lonely while you’re away a befriending service could offer the helping hand you need. A trained volunteer will give them a call at an agreed time for a chat and a check in.

Day centres

Sometimes called adult day care centres, these are places where older people can socialise and get practical support within a community setting. They are commonly run independently, by local authorities, or by organisations like Age UK, with a mix of trained staff an volunteers delivering a range of activities – from quizzes and crafts, to short day trips to the seaside. Some day centres also offer a lunchtime meal for a small additional fee.

While staff can help with things like medication reminders and companionship, they’re not professional carers and the level of support on offer can differ between day centres.

For companionship & low level needs
Delivered by staff & volunteers
Available from a few hours a week
Usually requires a GP referral
On average prices start from £20 for 3 hours, or between £30 -£50 for a full day

Home care visits

If your loved one is still fairly independent, but needs occasional help with daily tasks or personal care, home visits from an experienced carer may be a suitable respite care option. It can be booked around your loved one’s routine, which may mean multiple visits a day, for example in the morning and at bedtime, or a few visits a week for welfare checks and help around the home.

For low level needs
Delivered by professional carers
Available from a few hours a week (usually a 1 hour minimum per visit)
Usually requires an at-home or online assessment
On averages prices are between £20-30 per hour

Intermediate care via the NHS

This is a type of care for people who have recently been discharged from hospital. It’ll be arranged by the hospital’s discharge team and may involve home visits from a carer, or your loved one temporarily moving into an acute community hospital or care home while they recover. The aim is to help people safely regain their independence, and the discharge team will look at how soon your loved one is likely to be able to cope at home, identify which everyday tasks may be difficult and agree recovery goals to work out whether intermediate care is needed.

It’s worth noting that Different NHS trusts offer different intermediate care service s, and in some cases it may not be offered.

Live-in care

This involves a carer moving into your loved one’s home and remaining with them for the duration of your respite period. They’ll usually work around 10 hours a day, and sleep at the property at night. Live-in carers provide both personal care and daily living support, and due to the 24/7 presence of the carer this care service is often chosen for people with more in-depth care needs, who can’t safely stay at home on their own.

Residential care

If your loved one needs specialist care you may choose to arrange a short stay in a care home. Residential care homes have trained staff on call 24/7, which can be well suited to complex care needs. Homes also offer a weekly schedule of activities, and the opportunity to social with other residents at meal times in a shared dining room.

Considering a care home? Be aware of the 28 day rule

The 28-day rule for respite care in the UK states that you can lose certain benefits if your care is funded by your local authority and you stay in a care home for too long. This might be a single stay that lasts 28+ days, or multiple stays where the gaps in between when you’re back at home last 28 days or less.

If someone goes from hospital into a care home, their time in hospital and care are added together for the 28-day rule.

The rule applies to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component, and Attendance Allowance.

There are however some instance where the 28 day rule won’t apply.

If you pay for your own care without financial assistance, you can continue to receive benefits beyond 28 days.
If someone spends 29 or more days at home between periods of respite care.

Respite care costs

As well as deciding on the most suitable type of respite care, it’s important to consider early on how much care you’ll need, and how much this is likely to cost. This is doubly important if you’re planning to use your time away from caring to go on holiday, as you’ll need to factor in care costs on top of the cost of the holiday.

While we’ve shared the average costs above, some respite care services come with a higher price tag depending on where you live. For example, residential care is generally cheaper in the North of England, while homes in London and the South East may come at a premium.

If you’re caring for a loved one yourself, there are some charities and trusts in the UK that help people like you with the cost of care or provide free services for people with low-level care needs.

The Carers Trust, a charity supporting unpaid carers across the UK, may offer a grant towards your respite care costs. You’ll need to contact your local Carers Trust to find out if you’re likely to be eligible, and how to apply.

You can also use Turn2us‘ grant search tool on their website. The national financial support charity has brought together details of over 3000 funds from across the UK.

The Victoria Convalescent Trust (VCT) provides both full and partial grants to fund short-term breaks for people living in England and Wales who need respite care. You’ll need a health or social professional to apply on your behalf and how much you receive, if you meet the eligibility criteria, will depend on your individual circumstances and care needs.

And, if you’re in Scotland, it’s worth taking a look at Shared Care. The charity provides lots of resources and support to family carers, and may be able to connect you to a charity or grant scheme to help you take a break from care.

You or your loved one may also be eligible for support from your local council or the NHS. to help cover the costs of respite care.

Questions to ask when looking for respite care

Respite care homes

If you’re considering a care home offering respite care, you may find the following questions useful –

If a local home isn’t available, how far away would you be comfortable with?
How quickly can care be put in place? How long is the waiting list?
How long does the assessment process take, and what’s involved?
Does the home offer a trial visit or tour beforehand?
What’s the minimum number of days or weeks of respite care you’d be required to book?
Is there a choice of activities on offer, do these match up with your or your loved ones’ interests?
What’s included in the fee and what’s not – i.e. do certain activities or support services cost extra?
What are the communal living spaces like? Is there space and opportunity for quiet or private time too?
Can other family members or friends come and visit?

Home-based or live-in respite care

If you or a loved one would prefer to stay at home, you may find the following questions useful when choosing a care provider –

Would you prefer a local respite carer who’s already familiar with the local area and amenities?
What services do the agencies covering your area provide and are they suitable for your needs? e.g. will occasional care visits provide enough support and peace of mind, or would you need someone to move in and be there 24/7?
Do you want the service completely managed by a care provider, or would you like to retain some control over how care is delivered?
How quickly can they provide respite care? do they need a few weeks to source the right carers for your needs?
Is there a minimum number of days or weeks of respite care you’d be required to book?
Do you get to choose who the carer is, or meet or chat with them beforehand?
What’s the continuity of care like? Will there be a dedicated carer or a staff of different carers?
Can they give you a transparent overview of costs, are there any additional fees not included in the main rate, such as joining fees or surcharges over busy periods like bank holidays?
What daily activities can the respite carer help with? Are there any limitations?
If you or your loved one needs assistance with personal care – what can be done to make this more comfortable?

Arranging respite care - step by step

1) Discuss your options as a family

It’s important everyone is on the same page, especially the person needing care. Consider their wishes, the practicalities – for example whether their home is a suitable place to receive care, or how they can maintain as much of their usual routine during your respite period. Research care providers or care homes together.

2) Look at your budget and get your needs assessed

Applying for funding from your local council can take a while, so it’s best to start this as soon as you can. Contact your loved one’s local social services department and ask for a care needs assessment. If your loved one is found to have eligible needs they’ll follow up with a financial assessment, which will look at their assets and income to work out if they’re eligible for financial support. If they pass this too, they’ll be awarded a person budget which will cover either all or some of their care costs.

If you need respite urgently and are still waiting for a decision from your local authority, you may be able to get a grant from a charity to help with respite costs. Check what’s available via The Carers Trust or Turn2us.

3) Get a carers assessment

In some areas of England, Scotland and Wales, you may be able to arrange respite as a result of acarers assessment, if you are your loved one’s primary carer. This can be done via your local authority, and is a chance for you to document how your caring responsibilities are impacting your life.

4) Create a contingency plan

While not essential this can help things run smoothly if the unexpected happens – such as if you need respite at short-notice in the future, or if your loved one needs to go into hospital while you’re taking a respite break. It should detail emergency contacts, your loved one’s health conditions and medication, and your chosen respite care option. With Elder these details are captured and saved in your MyElder account, making booking emergency respite a lot easier.

Will a break from caring affect any benefits I'm receiving?

The 28 day rule also applies to people receiving Carer’s Allowance, meaning you can take holidays for up to 28 days a year without losing your Allowance, as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria for this benefit.

If the person you’re caring for is admitted to the hospital or requires respite care for more than 12 weeks, you’ll need to inform the Department of Work and Pensions and may lose your eligibility for Carers Allowance.

Finding suitable respite care – your complete guide

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What is respite care?

Why it's important to take regular breaks

What are my respite care options, and how will I know which is best?