Carers' guide to respite
With the help of thousands of carers in our community, we’ve pulled together their top respite tips. From where and how to get respite for ourselves to funding and much more.
What is respite care?
We all need to take a break from caring now and then. Whether that’s an hour to ourselves, a regular weekly slot, a full night’s sleep, or time away. These breaks are often called respite.
Sometimes, taking a break means the person we care for is supported by paid carers, a care home, or family and friends. This is known as respite care.
This guide brings together practical ideas, carer-tested solutions, and support to help us decide which option is most realistic for our situation. We've broken our guide into easy-to-digest chunks:
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Holidays and breaks that are suitable for those we care for to go without us
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Holidays and breaks that we can have together with the person we care for
We’ve called it “the incomplete guide” because it’s always growing, and we’d love your help making it more useful. If you have tips, ideas, or solutions that have worked for you, share them with other carers over in the Mobilise Hub.
Simple solutions for respite breaks, that might just work
We all have very different circumstances and caring situations but here are some creative solutions from the Mobilise Community:
1. Can family or friends help?
Can our friends and family help us take care of our loved ones for a couple of hours (or even a night?) We will never know unless we ask.
It may take planning and possibly some compromise but perhaps it will be worth it once we take a break. It might take a combination of people. Think flexibly about what would work.
Consider a caring trade with someone - like an old-fashioned babysitting circle.
Watch our Mobilise: LIVE session on getting respite that actually works, where carers in the Mobilise community share ways their friends and family have been able to help.
2. Do we have some savings or disposable income?
We know this isn’t a reality for most of us. But if we do have savings or some disposable income, paying for respite care for the person you care for either through an agency or someone you already employ might be an option.
3. Give micro-respite a go
Let's face it. Most of the time, 'getting respite' isn't as simple as it seems. When we don't have much time on our side, sometimes short 10 or 20-minute breaks are all we can fit in. We've called these small moments of wellbeing "micro-respite". Kind of like little "time-outs".
Here are some micro-respite inspirations from our community:
"The only time I get to relax is taking the dog for a walk and have a chat with other dog walkers while my husband is asleep."
"Visiting a charity shop, or having a clear out and donating works too."
"A solo coffee with some calming music in my fave independent cafe."
"When my sister comes to visit, there will be times when I go over to my friend's for dinner when I can. It really helps me to step away mentally too."
If respite is not possible for us right now, dive into our guide where carers in our community also share 10 ways to step away from the chaos and feel better.
Does the NHS pay for respite care?
The person we care for may be eligible for something known as the NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, depending on their needs and whether they are considered a healthcare requirement.
This funding can help cover the cost of their care, giving us a break. But whether they’re eligible or not will be assessed on an individual basis. A helping starting point is speaking with the GP to see what support is available and how we can apply.
It’s also handy to check if we or the person we care for are receiving all the financial help we might be eligible for:
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Carer’s Allowance (Carer Support Payment in Scotland) - For us if we’re caring at least 35 hours (plus other eligibility criterias). Use our super simple checker to get answers in minutes.
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Attendance Allowance - For us or the person we care for if we/they are state pension age or over and have a disability.
What funding is there for respite services, breaks, and holidays?
1. Local council
We can ask our local council for a Carer's Assessment (or 'Adult Carer Support Plan' in Scotland). An outcome of this will be to agree on a carer support plan that can include respite to give us a break from caring or funding for activities that help us take a break.
Sometimes, depending on where we live, funding for respites may fall under the person we care for's Care Plan following their Care Needs Assessment. Listen to Suzanne explain more about accessing funding for respite below.
2. Local carers services
Our nearest local carers service can often provide or help us apply for small grants that can be used for breaks and activities. This is different for everyone depending on where we live - some local carers services also carry out Carer's Assessments.
3. New respite fund for carers
If our local carers service are a part of the Carers Trust Network, we may also be able to apply for a "Carers Trust Grant" through our local Carers Trust service.
4. Benevolent funds
Benevolent funds are charities that offer financial help or practical support during tough times, such as illness, job loss, or bereavement. We may be able to access one if we or a family member previously worked in a certain job or industry, so it’s well worth having a quick check.
Organisations carers have shared helped them:
5. The Family Fund
The Family Fund provides grants for disabled children, some carers have been successful in applying for funding for holidays or short breaks.
6. Turn2Us
Some of us may already be familiar with Turn2Us but for those of us who are not, as well as clear, practical information about benefits and entitlements, they offer a free grants search tool that can help you find charitable funds you might be eligible for.
7. Disability Grants
Disability Grants brings together funding options for disabled people, carers, and families, including support for things like respite, equipment, household costs, and short breaks. We can search by our needs to see what help may be available and how to apply.
8. The Respite Association
The Respite Association can help fund appropriately qualified respite care for disabled, sick, elderly or terminally ill persons so that we can take a much-needed break.
9. Take a break Scotland
Take a break Scotland is a short break fund programme for parent carers of disabled children, young people and their families. It’s funded by the Scottish Government and run by Family Fund, offering flexible grants to support our family's wellbeing, from short breaks to days out or helpful equipment.
10. Shared Care Scotland
Shared Care Scotland helps carers find short breaks and respite options across Scotland. We can contact our local carers service to find out what is available locally.
What respite holidays are free for carers?
Here are a few free holiday respite options suggested by carers.
1. Carefree
Carefree - Transforms vacant accommodation into vital breaks for unpaid carers
2. After Umbrage
After Umbrage - Short term respite holiday accommodation free of charge to those caring for loved ones with life-limiting and terminal conditions. Also welcoming carers in their first 12 months of bereavement.
3. The Respite Association
The Respite Association - A limited number of carer holidays with a holiday cottage and carers' retreat.
Our local carers centre may also have details of holidays and breaks near us.
What respite holidays are free for those we care for?
We know these exist but we also know they have limited availability so we often keep quiet when we find them. Carers top tip - take a look at condition-specific support charities and local organisations.
What respite holidays and breaks are suitable for those we care for to go without us?
Abbots Care - Provides two different types of respite care at home (live-in care, and visiting care). Simply use their Care Service Enquiry and they can also discuss the funding that may be available.
What respite holidays and breaks can carers have together with the person we care for?
Dementia Adventure - Similarly to respite, Dementia Adventure enables both us carers and the person we care for to enjoy a holiday, short-break or local outing together, supported by their trained team.
How can carers overcome personal barriers to respite?
Sometimes the barriers can be more personal or unique to us.
Taking a break requires planning and organisation perhaps we feel we just don't have the time or energy for that. We don't all want to have time away from the person we care for. Or we might feel we would be too stressed, anxious or guilty to have time to ourselves so there's just no point.
If we really are in a tight spot and can't find a way to change things starting with just five minutes of caring for ourselves might be our first step.
Respite holiday options for both us and the person we care for
If we're planning a holiday with the person you care for in the near future, take a look at the list of organisations can make travel that bit easier for you:
Which organisations provide accessible respite holiday options in the UK?
Tourism For All can help us with finding and planning accessible destinations and accommodations across the UK. These include accessible bedrooms, lifts and wheelchairs as well as facilities for hearing impaired visitors.
Just like Tourism For All - but UK edition! From disabled friendly holidays to tours in the UK, this may be a good option for us if we are not planning to go abroad.
3. Accessible, Adapted and Disabled Holiday Places
Carers in the Mobilise community have recommended the Accessible, Adapted and Disabled Holidays Facebook page to finding holiday options for us and the person we care for.
4. The Bond Hotel in Blackpool - Providing holidays and respite breaks for guests with disabilities, their family, friends and carers.
5. Seal Bay Resort - From caravans to lodges, carers have shared that we can find available stays with wheelchair ramps and large spaces inside.
6. Centre Parcs for Families - Providing short family getaways with their open-plan accommodation, restaurants and both indoor and outdoor activities.
7. Waterloo Farm in Cornwall - Also suggested by carers, we can enjoy a stay in holiday-accessible cottages.
Check out our 'Carers' guide to booking a holiday', a more comprehensive guide which lists more disabled-friendly holidays (both in the UK and international) including what support airports and airlines can help us with.
Don't forget...
If we have time off from our caring roles how will our Carer's Allowance be affected?
There are special rules for this, if we take a break from caring for up to four weeks we can continue to receive Carer's Allowance (that's four weeks in any six month period).
Other helpful guides
Carers' guide to a Carers Assessment
Carers' guide to an Adult Carer Support Plan (Scotland)
Carers' guide to care needs assessments