Paying for a break can be expensive, but there is some help for some people. There are three main ways through which people can fund a break. Privately, through government support or through grants.
Local authority funding and Self-directed Support
Everybody benefits from a break in their life. Short breaks (or respite care) help people to take a break from the demands of their caring routine.
If you feel that you need help with your caring routine then you can contact your local authority. They will need to assess if providing you with services or support is the best option. If so, there are 4 ways that you can have the support. This is now called Self-Directed Support.
- For more detail on getting help and support with a short break click here
Private (self) funding
You or your partner pay for the support yourself.
Grants from trusts
If you are not self-funding or assisted by your local authority, there are a number of charities and organisations which provide grants or top-up funding to assist with respite costs. You apply to these trusts when you need a break. They are not always easy to find and there is an application process to go through. They each have their own criteria and use slightly different language to describe what they offer, but they all offer grants in some form to carers, or the people they care for, to enable people to have a break form their caring routine.
Your local carer’s centre will be happy to help you apply – click here to contact your local centre
The website Turn2us.org.uk is a good source of information on funding matters. As well as having a comprehensive directory of trusts and funds they also give advice about benefits.