"I need advice and information to help me in my role as a carer."
The 'Carers UK Digital Resource' is the best place to find valuable advice and information to support you in your caring role, making day-to-day life easier.
As a carer, it is important that you look after your health and wellbeing, so we recommend that you take a break from time to time to look after yourself.
There are a number of arrangements you can make to give yourself a break, plus if you qualify, you could book a free break in our coastal accommodation.
Taking a break is not only good for you, but it also means offers the person you are caring for:
In this Carers UK video, carers discuss why taking a break is so important.
There are lots of different options to explore when you need a break. You may choose:
If you need to arrange care for the person you look after so that you can take a break from your caring role, we’ve explained some of the options below and how you can access them.
Paid for care (self funding)
This type of care means that the cared for person can stay at home so as not to disturb their routine or take them from familiar surroundings. A carer either visits the house of the cared for person for just a few hours each day or each week, or stays in the house offering support day and night.
You can search for private in home respite care providers on the NHS website.
To discuss the availability and cost of their services, please contact them directly.
Many private residential homes are often able to accommodate guests for a short stay so that carers can take a short break or holiday.
You can find a list of private residential homes in our care directory. Please contact them directly to check availability and discuss costs.
Support from family and friends
It might be worth talking to friends or family about your needs. They might be happy to look after the person you care for so that you can take a short break or holiday.
If the person you care for lives with you, ask your family or friends if they would be willing to stay at your home to provide cover or alternatively have the person to stay with them.
Organisations that can help
There are many organisations that can help you take a break, and some can help with any expenses too. View a list of organisations in a factsheet on the Carers UK website (Refer page 14 of the PDF).
Help from adult social care
There are a range of council run services, that depending on your situation, may be able to provide respite care while you take a break.
When you have your carer's assessment, you’ll be advised if you qualify to use our care relief sitting service.
This is available to carers who look after someone with dementia or another memory related illness.
A staff member from our care relief service can come to the home of the person being cared for to provide in home respite care. This is so you can take a short break to go shopping, meet up with friends, attend a medical appointment or have time to yourself.
If you qualify to use this service, a member of the community support team will contact you to discuss when and how often you can use this service. Time slots are available:
Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 10pm
Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 4pm
The person you are caring for goes into a day centre or takes part in activities away from their home allowing you a break from caring.
If the person you care for would benefit from using day care services, this will be identified during their assessment. Day care will be pre-arranged on a yearly basis by your community wellbeing team at a centre suitable to the needs of the person you care for. For example, they might visit a day care centre every Friday.
Where the person you are looking after has a short stay in a council run residential or nursing home.
When an assessment is carried out for the person you care for, it will identify if they qualify to use this service. Short stays will be pre-arranged on a yearly basis by your community wellbeing team at a care home suitable to the needs of the person you care for.
Your adult carer’s assessment may identify that you can book a break at one of our coastal venues. In most circumstances you'll need to live with the person you care for to qualify for this free service.
Short breaks are initially limited to 1 per year, however we do have a reservation list so you can register your interest in another break within the year if there is availability.
To check availability and book, please contact the Carer’s Support Service.
Please note: you cannot book a carer’s break more than 8 weeks in advance. This is to make sure we can accommodate those who need an urgent break.
