Breaks for carers (respite care)

If you need support at home or you are a carer looking after someone who needs support at home, you are entitled to respite care when you need a break or are going on holiday.

To benefit from this support, you need to contact your local care management team so that a care manager can assess you and offer you the appropriate service. This will either be respite care arranged by your care manager, or carers vouchers which will be given to you and can be redeemed against a list of care services.

Is there a charge?

If you are being offered respite care, you will be asked to complete a financial assessment form, and you will have to contribute towards the costs or your care at an amount that we believe is affordable for you. Carers who need a break, either through receiving respite care for the person they care for, or through receiving carers vouchers, will not be asked to pay.

How often can I take a break?

The maximum amount of respite care that will be arranged for you is 6 weeks per year.

Where is respite care offered?

Respite care usually means a short stay in a local residential care home. Specialist care such as for people with dementia, or for people who need other specialist medical care, can be provided.

Contact The Richmond Carers Centre

Richmond Carers Centre

5 Briar Road
Twickenham
TW2 6RB

Telephone: 020 8867 2380
Email: info@richmondcarers.org
Website: http://www.carers.org/local/london/richmond/