Respite care provides temporary relief for family carers looking after older Australians at home. It gives carers a much-needed break to rest, attend to personal matters, or simply recharge, while ensuring the person they care for receives safe, quality support. Without respite, carer burnout is common and can lead to health crises for both the carer and the person receiving care.

However, many families do not know how to access respite care, what types are available, how much it costs, or how to get help quickly in an emergency. This comprehensive guide explains all respite care options in Australia for 2026, including costs, eligibility, how to access services through CHSP and Support at Home, and what to do when you need respite urgently.

For broader context on aged care support, see our guide to home care packages in Australia.

Key Points

  • Respite care provides temporary relief for family carers, ranging from a few hours to several weeks
  • Types include in-home respite, centre-based day programs, residential respite, and emergency respite
  • CHSP provides up to 63 days of subsidized respite per year at low cost ($10 to $15 per hour)
  • Support at Home participants can use their funding allocation for respite; no separate day limit
  • Emergency respite can be arranged within 24 to 48 hours for urgent situations
  • You do not need an ACAT assessment for CHSP respite; only a RAS phone assessment

Why Respite Care Matters

The Reality of Family Caregiving

Over 2.65 million Australians provide unpaid care to family members with disability, chronic illness, or age-related needs. Many carers provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no breaks. This level of care is unsustainable without respite.

Signs you need respite:

  • Feeling exhausted, irritable, or emotionally drained
  • Neglecting your own health or medical appointments
  • Unable to maintain social connections or hobbies
  • Feeling resentful towards the person you care for
  • Physical symptoms of stress (headaches, sleep problems, high blood pressure)

Respite is not a luxury. It is essential for your wellbeing and your ability to continue caring long-term.

Benefits of Respite Care

For carers:

  • Time to rest and recover
  • Opportunity to attend medical appointments, run errands, or work
  • Reduced stress and improved mental health
  • Maintained social connections and personal interests

For care recipients:

  • Social interaction and engagement with others
  • Access to specialized activities and therapies
  • Opportunity to try new experiences
  • Maintained independence and dignity

Regular respite prevents carer breakdown, reduces emergency hospital admissions, and allows older Australians to remain at home longer.

Types of Respite Care

1. In-Home Respite

A trained care worker comes to your home to provide care while you (the carer) take a break. This can range from a few hours to overnight care.

What it includes:

  • Personal care (showering, dressing, toileting)
  • Meal preparation and assistance
  • Medication reminders
  • Social support and companionship
  • Light housework

Best for:

  • People who do not want to leave their own home
  • Those with dementia or cognitive impairment who struggle with new environments
  • Short breaks (a few hours to a full day)

Typical cost:

  • CHSP subsidized rate: $10 to $15 per hour
  • Support at Home: Uses your funding allocation (hourly rates vary by provider)

2. Centre-Based or Day Respite

The person you care for attends a day centre for several hours, participating in social activities, meals, and care while you have time off.

What it includes:

  • Structured activities (arts and crafts, music, games)
  • Morning or afternoon tea and lunch
  • Personal care and medication management
  • Transport to and from the centre (usually included)

Best for:

  • People who enjoy social interaction
  • Carers who need regular weekly respite
  • Those who benefit from structured activities

Typical cost:

  • CHSP subsidized rate: $10 to $25 per day (including transport and meals)
  • Support at Home: Uses your funding allocation

Operating hours: Typically Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 3 PM. Some centres offer weekend or evening programs.

3. Residential Respite

The person you care for stays in an aged care facility for a short period (usually a few days to several weeks) while you take an extended break.

What it includes:

  • 24-hour nursing and personal care
  • Meals and accommodation
  • Social activities and therapies
  • Medical oversight

Best for:

  • Extended carer breaks (holidays, medical procedures, or rest)
  • Situations where the carer is temporarily unavailable
  • Trial period before permanent residential care

Typical cost:

  • Basic daily fee: Approximately $56 per day (85 percent of the Age Pension rate)
  • Means-tested care fee: May apply depending on your income and assets
  • Accommodation: Usually no charge for respite stays under 63 days per year

Duration: Up to 63 days per financial year under government subsidy. Extensions may be possible in special circumstances.

4. Emergency Respite

Urgent, unplanned respite arranged when a carer becomes suddenly unable to provide care (such as illness, accident, or crisis).

What it includes:

  • Immediate placement in residential respite or urgent in-home care
  • Fast-tracked approval and funding
  • Short-term support until longer-term arrangements are made

Best for:

  • Carer hospitalization or illness
  • Family emergencies
  • Breakdown of care arrangements

Typical cost: Same as planned respite, but prioritized for immediate access.

How to access: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and explain the emergency. Services can often start within 24 to 48 hours.

5. Cottage or Holiday Respite

Small group accommodation (usually 4 to 8 people) in a homelike setting for a few days to a week, often in regional or coastal locations.

What it includes:

  • Shared accommodation with private bedrooms
  • 24-hour care staff
  • Meals and activities
  • Opportunity for a change of scenery

Best for:

  • People who want a holiday-like break
  • Those who enjoy small group settings

Typical cost: Varies widely; check with specific cottage respite providers. Some are subsidized under CHSP or Support at Home.

How to Access Respite Care

Through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP)

CHSP provides entry-level aged care services, including subsidized respite care.

Eligibility:

  • Aged 65+ (50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
  • Living at home
  • Basic care needs

Assessment: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and request a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) phone assessment. This is quicker and simpler than an ACAT assessment.

Funding:

  • Up to 63 days of subsidized respite per financial year
  • Fees are set by the provider but heavily subsidized by the government
  • Typical cost: $10 to $25 per day depending on the service

Note: CHSP is transitioning to the Support at Home program. Existing CHSP clients will be moved to Support at Home by mid-2027. Until then, CHSP respite remains available.

For more on CHSP, see our CHSP providers guide.

Through Support at Home

The Support at Home Program (launched November 2025) replaced Home Care Packages for new clients and will eventually replace CHSP.

Eligibility:

  • Aged 65+ (50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
  • Assessed and assigned a classification level (1 to 8) by the new assessment workforce

Assessment: Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to request an assessment. This replaces the old RAS and ACAT assessments.

Funding:

  • Respite is included within your overall Support at Home funding allocation
  • No separate 63-day limit, but you must budget respite within your total funding
  • Costs vary by provider and service type

Flexibility: You can use Support at Home funding for any combination of in-home, centre-based, or residential respite, as long as it fits within your budget.

For details on Support at Home funding, see our guides to classification levels 1-3, levels 4-6, and levels 7-8.

Through a Home Care Package (HCP)

If you were approved for a Home Care Package before November 2025, you can still use your package funding for respite.

How to arrange: Contact your package provider and request respite services. They will arrange in-home, centre-based, or residential respite within your package budget.

Funding: Respite costs are deducted from your package funding. For example, if you have a Level 2 package ($17,426 per year), residential respite costing $56 per day for 7 days ($392) would be deducted from your annual budget.

Flexibility: You can allocate as much or as little of your package funding to respite as needed, balancing it with other services (personal care, domestic help, etc.).

Emergency Respite Access

When to use:

  • Carer hospitalized or seriously ill
  • Carer unavailable due to emergency (accident, family crisis)
  • Immediate safety concerns

How to access:

  1. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
  2. Explain the urgent situation
  3. Request emergency respite

Services can often be arranged within 24 to 48 hours. For genuine emergencies, assessment requirements may be waived or fast-tracked.

Alternatives:

  • Hospital social workers can arrange respite if the carer is hospitalized
  • Local council community care teams may have emergency respite options
  • Aged care advocacy services can help navigate urgent access

Costs and Funding

CHSP Respite Costs

In-home respite:

  • $10 to $15 per hour (government subsidized)

Centre-based respite:

  • $10 to $25 per day (including transport and meals)

Residential respite:

  • $56 per day basic daily fee (85 percent of Age Pension rate)

Hardship provisions: If you cannot afford the fees, ask about fee reductions or waivers. Providers can offer financial hardship support for those on low incomes.

Support at Home Respite Costs

Costs vary by provider and are deducted from your overall Support at Home funding allocation. There are no set subsidized fees like CHSP.

Example:

  • Classification Level 3 funding: Approximately $15,000 per year
  • If you use 10 days of residential respite at $56 per day = $560
  • Remaining funding for other services: $14,440

You manage your budget across all services (respite, personal care, domestic support, nursing, etc.).

Home Care Package Respite Costs

Same as Support at Home. Respite costs are deducted from your annual package funding.

Who Pays What?

Respite TypeGovernment SubsidyYour Contribution
CHSP in-home80-90%$10-$15/hour
CHSP day respite80-90%$10-$25/day
CHSP residential15%$56/day (85% Age Pension)
Support at HomeVaries by levelFunded from your allocation
HCP respiteVaries by levelFunded from your package

Finding Respite Care Providers

Search Tools

My Aged Care Find a Provider: Visit myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider and filter by:

  • Service type: Respite care
  • Location: Your suburb or postcode
  • Specific needs: Dementia care, culturally specific services, etc.

Local Council: Many councils run or fund respite services. Contact your local council’s aged care or community services team.

Carevo: We connect you with respite care providers across Australia. Search our provider directory to find respite options near you.

Questions to Ask Providers

Before booking respite:

  1. What types of respite do you offer (in-home, day, residential)?
  2. What are your fees and charges?
  3. How far in advance do I need to book?
  4. What happens if I need to cancel?
  5. What qualifications do your staff have?
  6. Do you cater to specific needs (dementia, mobility, cultural preferences)?
  7. Can I visit your centre or facility before booking?
  8. What activities or therapies do you offer?

Common Concerns and Solutions

”I feel guilty taking a break”

Solution: Respite is not selfish. It is essential for your health and your ability to continue caring. Think of it as maintaining the care relationship, not abandoning it.

”They will be upset if I leave them with strangers”

Solution:

  • Start with short respite sessions (a few hours) to build familiarity
  • Choose in-home respite so they stay in a familiar environment
  • Introduce the respite carer gradually before the first session
  • Explain that it is temporary and you will return

Many people enjoy respite once they experience it, particularly day centres with social activities.

”I cannot afford respite”

Solution:

  • CHSP respite is heavily subsidized (as low as $10 per hour)
  • Ask about financial hardship support or fee waivers
  • Use Support at Home or HCP funding to cover costs
  • Some community organizations offer free or low-cost respite

”There are no respite services in my area”

Solution:

  • Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 for help finding services
  • Ask about transport to respite centres in nearby towns
  • Explore in-home respite, which is often more widely available
  • Regional respite services may offer accommodation-based respite

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does respite care cost in Australia?

Respite care costs vary. Home-based respite through CHSP costs $10 to $15 per hour with government subsidy. Residential respite costs approximately $56 per day (85 percent of the Age Pension basic daily fee). Support at Home participants can use their funding allocation for respite services.

How do I access emergency respite care quickly?

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and explain the urgent situation. Emergency respite is prioritized for carers in crisis, recent hospital discharge, or immediate safety concerns. Services can often start within 24 to 48 hours for genuine emergencies.

What is the difference between CHSP respite and Support at Home respite?

CHSP provides entry-level respite (up to 63 days per year) with set subsidized fees. Support at Home (launched November 2025) provides respite within your overall funding allocation, offering more flexibility but requiring budget management across all services.

Can I use my Home Care Package funding for respite?

Yes. If you have a Home Care Package (HCP), you can use your funding for in-home respite, centre-based respite, or residential respite. Discuss respite options with your package provider to arrange services within your budget.

How many days of respite am I entitled to per year?

Under CHSP, you can access up to 63 days of subsidized respite per year. Under Support at Home or Home Care Packages, respite is limited only by your total funding allocation. Residential respite is typically capped at 63 days per financial year under government subsidy.

What types of respite care are available?

In-home respite (carer visits your home), centre-based or day respite (attend a centre for social activities and care), residential respite (stay in an aged care facility short-term), emergency respite (urgent, unplanned care), and cottage respite (small group accommodation for a few days).

Do I need an ACAT assessment to access respite care?

Not for CHSP respite. You only need a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) phone assessment. For respite through Home Care Packages or Support at Home, you need an ACAT assessment. Emergency respite may be arranged without prior assessment in crisis situations.

What if my carer needs respite but I refuse to go?

Respite services can be flexible. In-home respite allows you to stay in your own home while a carer supports you, giving your family carer a break. Explain your concerns to the respite provider; they can tailor services to reduce anxiety about leaving home.

Key Resources

Take a Break Before You Break

Respite care is essential for sustainable caregiving. If you are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or resentful, you are not alone, and you are not failing. Taking a break is the responsible thing to do, both for yourself and for the person you care for.

Start small. Book a few hours of in-home respite to see how it works. Once you experience the relief and recharge that respite provides, you will be better equipped to continue caring with patience, energy, and compassion.

For more guidance on aged care options, see our ACAT assessment preparation guide or our overview of Support at Home classification levels.

Ready to access respite care? Connect with Carevo to find respite providers in your area and get the break you need.