DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much does respite care cost per week in the UK?
Respite care is a short stay in a care home, usually to give a family carer a break or to cover a recovery after illness. It is priced per week, and it often costs a little more than a permanent place, because the home is filling a bed for a short time and cannot count on it long term. Families arranging it are frequently exhausted and short of time, which is exactly when a surprise fee stings most. Knowing the going rate for the type of care involved, and that the council can sometimes help, makes booking a break far less daunting. The real prices on this page show what that premium looks like once nursing, dementia and residential stays are compared side by side.
The quick version
- Respite care is a short-term stay, priced per week, often at a small premium over a permanent place.
- Respite covers the same types of care, so a nursing or dementia respite stay costs more than a residential one.
- A carer's assessment from the council can unlock help towards the cost of a break.
- Self-funders are still charged more than the council rate for the same short-stay bed.
- Live-in care at home for a set period can be an alternative to a respite stay in a home.
- Attendance Allowance usually keeps being paid during a short stay, which helps cover the extra cost.
What people actually paid
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 35% more than the advertised list price for respite care.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £1,100“My Dad is paying 1100 pw for a respite place in a care home.”
- £1,500“I think my relative paid about £1,500 a week but there was a 3 for 2 weeks offer.”
- £2,500“was £2500 a week then”
- £2,500“was £2500 a week then”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
Respite prices move for the same reasons as any care home fee, then add a short-stay premium on top. A home holding a bed for a week or two cannot rely on that income continuing, so it often charges a little more than for a permanent resident, and that premium is on top of, not instead of, the usual drivers of care home cost. The type of care still sets the base cost, so respite in a dementia or nursing setting costs more than a straightforward residential stay, in the same way it would for a permanent placement. Who owns and runs the home matters too, since a small independently run home and a larger operator can price the same type of respite bed differently, and the region the home is in shifts the base rate before any short-stay premium is added, as care costs generally run higher in some parts of the UK than others. Timing and demand matter as well, since beds are tighter over holiday periods when many carers want a break at once, and an emergency placement usually costs more than one booked in advance because the home has less notice to plan around it. Funding can soften the blow. A carer's assessment can lead to council help towards a break, and if the person being cared for already has council funding, respite may be arranged as part of their existing care plan rather than negotiated as a one-off self-funded stay.
How to pay less
- Ask the council for a carer's assessment, which can lead to funding or a grant towards respite, whether or not the person being cared for is council-funded themselves.
- Book ahead where you can, since planned respite is easier to fund and price than an emergency stay, and emergency placements tend to be charged at a premium.
- Confirm the weekly rate in writing and check exactly what it includes before you commit, as short stays sometimes cost more per week than the home's standard rate suggests.
- Ask whether the person's Attendance Allowance continues during the stay, as it usually does, and factor that income into the real cost of the break.
- Compare a respite home stay with a spell of live-in care at home for the same period, since one can be cheaper than the other depending on the level of need.
- Avoid booking over peak holiday periods if you have any flexibility, since demand for respite beds rises when many carers want a break at the same time.
Common questions
Why does respite care cost more than a permanent place?
Because the home is filling a bed for only a short time and cannot count on the income continuing, it often charges a slightly higher weekly rate for respite than for a long-term resident. The care itself is the same, so a respite stay in a nursing or dementia home still costs more than one in standard residential care, and that gap holds whether you are a self-funder or council-funded.
Can the council help pay for respite care?
It can. Respite is treated partly as support for the carer, so asking for a carer's assessment is the key step, and it can lead to funding or a one-off grant towards a break. If the person needing care already receives council funding, respite can often be built into their care plan rather than arranged separately. This is general information, not financial advice.
Is respite care only in a care home?
No. Respite can also be provided at home, for example a spell of live-in care while the usual carer is away, or extra home care visits. For some families that is less unsettling for the person being cared for than moving into a home for a week or two, and it is worth comparing the weekly cost of both before deciding.
Does Attendance Allowance stop while someone is in respite care?
Usually not. Attendance Allowance generally continues to be paid during a short respite stay, unlike some other benefits that can be affected by longer stays in care, so it is worth checking your specific circumstances but budgeting on the basis that it keeps coming in. That income can meaningfully offset the weekly respite rate.
How far in advance should I book respite care?
As early as you reasonably can. Planned respite is easier for both you and the council to fund and price than an emergency stay, and homes are more likely to have availability, and at a standard rather than premium rate, if you are not booking at short notice. Peak holiday periods fill up fastest, so book those especially early if you can.
Is respite care cheaper than a full-time care home place?
Not per week, no. Because the home cannot guarantee the bed will be filled again straight after you leave, respite is usually priced at a premium over the equivalent permanent placement, not a discount. The total cost is obviously lower than a permanent stay simply because it lasts a matter of weeks rather than months or years, but the weekly rate itself tends to be higher.