Funding for respite

If you have been assessed as needing respite care from the local authority the funding to provide it should come directly from them, although you may be subject to a financial assessment and be expected to pay a contribution if you have savings or income above a certain level.

If you do not want to accept one of the respite services offered by the local authority you may be able to access direct payments where the local authority pay money into your bank account and you arrange the break yourself. If you need to take a carer with you, you should be able to get funding towards the costs of doing this. For more information see our Direct payments factsheet (126 kb) [pdf]or our site on personal budgets and personlisation.

If you are unable to get funding from social services then charities and charitable trusts can be good source of help. For information about charities which provide funding for holidays please see our Respite factsheet (222 kb) [pdf]

For more information on charities that provide holidays or funding towards the cost of a holiday you could contact the charity Turn2Us who will search on your behalf based on your specific needs.

You can search yourself by using the website www.grantsforindividuals.org.uk.