Respite Care in the UK: A Complete Guide for Family Carers

What is respite care?

Respite care is temporary care provided for someone who normally receives support from a family member or other unpaid carer.

The purpose is to give the usual carer a period away from their caring responsibilities while making sure the person they care for continues to receive appropriate support.

You may also hear terms such as short-term care, short-break care, temporary care or replacement care.

Why do family carers need respite?

Caring for someone can be rewarding, but it can also be physically and emotionally demanding. Over time, the responsibilities can affect sleep, work, relationships, social life and your own health.

Respite can provide an opportunity to recover, deal with other responsibilities, spend time with family and friends, or simply have some time when you are not responsible for someone else’s care.

Taking a break is not giving up. In many situations, planned respite can help make a caring arrangement more sustainable.

What types of respite care are available?

There is no single type of respite care. The right option depends on the person’s needs and the kind of break you need.

How do I arrange respite care?

The best approach is to work out what kind of break you need and what level of support the person requires before approaching providers.

1. Be clear about the break you need.
   Think about whether you need a few hours, a day, overnight care, a weekend, several weeks or emergency support.
2. Describe the person’s care needs.
   Consider mobility, personal care, medication, continence, eating and drinking, communication, behaviour, cognition and any clinical or nursing needs.
3. Consider the most appropriate type of respite.
   Care at home, day services, residential respite and nursing care can all meet different circumstances.
4. Explore funding.
   Depending on the circumstances, the local authority, NHS or the family may contribute towards the cost.
5. Shortlist suitable providers.
   Check that the service can safely meet the person’s needs and has availability for the dates required.
6. Ask for the complete cost.
   Check what is included, what is charged separately and whether there are additional costs associated with a short-term stay.
7. Prepare a clear handover.
   Provide information about routines, preferences, medicines, communication, risks, continence, diet and anything else that helps staff understand the person.
8. Review how it went.
   After the break, consider what worked well and whether anything should be changed before arranging respite again.

For a more detailed step-by-step guide, see How to arrange respite care.

How long can respite care last?

There is no single standard length of respite care. It may be arranged for a few hours, a day, a weekend, several days or several weeks.

The practical limit may depend on the person’s needs, the type of service, funding arrangements and provider availability.

It is also worth thinking ahead about what will happen if the planned stay needs to be extended.

Read our guide to how long respite care can last.

Emergency respite care

Sometimes respite cannot be planned. A family carer may become ill, be admitted to hospital, have an accident or suddenly become unable to continue providing care.

In these situations, the priority is establishing whether the person is safe and what immediate care is required.

Depending on the circumstances, this may involve the local authority, NHS services, social care providers or an existing care agency.

Read our emergency respite care guide.

How much does respite care cost?

The cost depends heavily on the type of care, the person’s needs, where they live, the length of the stay and whether the care is self-funded or funded by another organisation.

Residential respite can sometimes cost more per week than a permanent care-home placement because short stays can involve additional administration, preparation and availability issues.

See the Carentis guide to respite care costs.

Who pays for respite care?

Respite care may be privately funded, funded in whole or in part by the local authority, or potentially funded by the NHS depending on the person’s circumstances and eligibility.

Local authority funding

A carer’s assessment can help establish the impact caring is having on you and whether you have eligible needs for support.

A care needs assessment considers the needs of the person receiving care. Depending on the outcome, the local authority may contribute towards eligible care needs.

The exact arrangements differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so it is important to establish which rules apply where you live.

NHS funding

Where a person’s needs are primarily health needs, NHS funding may be relevant. In England, this can include NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) where the eligibility criteria are met.

Learn more about NHS Continuing Healthcare.

For a detailed look at who may pay for respite care, see Who pays for respite care?

Respite care for someone with dementia

Respite can be particularly important when caring for someone with dementia, but a change of environment can also be confusing or distressing.

Preparation can make the transition easier. Information about routines, preferences, communication, personal history, eating and drinking, sleep patterns and behaviours can help care staff provide more personalised support.

Read our guide to respite care for someone with dementia.

If the person is moving into respite care, families may also need to think carefully about visits and how contact is managed during the first few days.

Choosing a care home for respite

A short-term placement still needs to be the right placement. A care home that looks attractive may not necessarily be able to meet the person’s needs.

Carentis also has guides covering how to compare care homes and finding the right care home.

Questions to ask a care home before booking respite

What should someone take into respite care?

A good handover can make a short-term placement much easier.

What if the person refuses respite care?

Resistance to respite is not unusual, particularly where the person does not understand why a temporary move is necessary or where they have dementia or another condition affecting cognition.

Try to understand why they are refusing. Fear, unfamiliar surroundings, loss of control and previous experiences can all affect how someone responds.

Where there are questions about consent or decision-making capacity, the Mental Capacity Act may be relevant in England and Wales.

What if respite care becomes permanent?

Sometimes a planned short-term stay highlights that returning home is no longer practical or safe.

This can be emotionally difficult for everyone involved. If this happens, take time to understand the person’s needs, the funding position and the alternatives before making decisions.

A respite placement does not automatically have to become permanent simply because the person is already living in the care home.

What if you are unhappy with the care?

If something does not feel right, raise your concerns promptly with the care home. Many problems can be addressed when they are identified early.

If the concern is not resolved, there are formal complaints and escalation routes. The appropriate route depends on the service involved and where you live.

In England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates registered care services, although it does not resolve individual complaints in the same way as a provider’s complaints process.

You can also seek independent advice where appropriate.

Respite care checklist

Frequently asked questions about respite care