Hire a specialist respite carer
Pauline is a truly outstanding carer, bringing new meaning to “beyond the call of duty”. She is unbelievably kind and patient...”
Cinzia is absolutely amazing and so good with my mum. From the very first moment she arrived, my was very comfortable with her. V...”
Gaye has supported mum every step of the way particularly dealing with a nasty fall and transitioning to and from care homes. Help...”
Personally interviewed
DBS & Biometric ID checked
Fully insured
Companionship, cooking, housekeeping, medical prompting
Moving and handling, exercise, eating and drinking assistance
Early stage dementia, physical disabilities, late stage dementia
Personal care, dressing/undressing, bathroom assistance
Respite carers allow for anyone in a care role to take essential time for themselves while continuing to provide an exceptional level of care. Providing care for someone is a remarkable undertaking. Whether you’re a professional carer or caring for a child, parent or other loved one, taking time out to rest and recharge is important for your own health and wellbeing. While we know it can be hard to ask for help, respite carers are here when you need them.
Curam’s experienced respite carers provide specialist support when you need it most throughout the UK. They can support you in numerous ways:
Respite care refers to short-term care when someone else steps in to look after the person you care for. This kind of care gives you a break to tackle other responsibilities, deal with stress, tend to yourself or simply relax.
Respite care can take the form of hourly, overnight or live-in care, depending on your needs and those of the person you care for.
Whether you’re dealing with an immediate emergency or looking to prevent future burnout as a carer, respite care can help. Care work is hard work – organising regular breaks can help you recharge your batteries so you can continue to provide a great level of care.
Anyone who provides care and support for someone else can organise respite care. This includes friends and family who provide unpaid care as well as principal paid carers.
Respite care can be a huge help to both the carer and the person being cared for. These interim carers can support existing carers and family members by allowing them to take time off to relax, go on holiday, attend appointments and attend to their life outside of care work. In addition to providing the regular relief we all need from work, this helps prevent long-term burnout.
For those who receive regular care, respite care can help them remain in their usual surroundings without any break in care provision. This consistency of care is particularly important for those who benefit from the routine of their home life, such as people with autism and conditions such as dementia.
Respite care can take the form of hourly, overnight or live-in care, depending on your needs and those of the person you care for. These carers will take over most or all of your care responsibilities for the duration of their contract:
Curam can connect you with carers providing many different types of respite care, including:
Hiring a carer through Curam is a 4 step easy process with you having all the control.
Filter and search for verified carers near you
Message suitable carers - we suggest a minimum of three to give you the best choice
Hire your insured and vetted carer via Curam - you only pay for the care delivered
Alternatively, in an emergency or if you need care for a specific period of time Share your care needs' with our carers
Our self-employed carers set their own rates on the Curam platform. The cost of respite care is often determined by the level of care required. These rates can vary according to the carer’s experience and qualifications.
The average hourly respite care rate charged on Curam is £18.30 per hour, with rates starting at £13 an hour. The average live-in care rate charged on Curam is £1,040 per week, with rates starting at £770 a week. Rates vary depending on where you live in the UK.
Invoices are also subject to the Curam client fee of 10% and VAT. However, this client fee may be lower or waived for our business partners or those receiving local authority or NHS funding for their care. Please email client@curamcare.com to learn more about your costs with Curam.
With Curam you pay less but your carer earns more
Clients on the Curam platform pay on average 22% less than the current suggested UK Home Care Association hourly rate of £25.95
You can pay for home respite care privately, with assistance from the local council or a charity, or from a combination of those sources.
In some areas, respite care is provided as a result of your carer’s assessment, while in others it’s provided through a needs assessment for the person you look after. If your assessment or the assessment for the person you care for shows you need respite care, the local council should provide it.
You might be able to get financial support from the council to help you take a break, but respite services are means-tested, so you or the person you care for may have to contribute towards the cost.
According to the NHS, local councils will only fund respite care for people that they have assessed as needing it. If you want the council to pay for respite care for either yourself as a carer or the person you look after, you can both get assessments:
If you care for a child, you might also need a Parent Carer’s Assessment or a Children in Need Assessment.
Once the relevant assessments have been carried out, your local council will determine if you are eligible for respite care and what type will be best for your requirements. In some cases, you may be given the choice of how the money to support you is spent.
Even if they don't want council funding, it's still useful for the person you look after to have a needs assessment, as it will determine which type of respite care is most suitable.
Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is known as NHS continuing healthcare.
However, NHS continuing healthcare is not suitable for those seeking to arrange respite care. Carers looking to source respite care should contact their local council and complete a carer’s assessment for funding.
With Curam, you pay for respite care through a secure payment system on our app or website. Your respite carer of choice will create a service agreement and shift invoice, which will automatically be sent to your Curam account for your approval.
Once you have approved these, you will be taken to the payment portal. Your payment is held securely until the shift is completed and is then released to the carer two working days after the end of the shift, minus the Curam fee. Shift invoices typically cover one to two weeks of care at a time, but specific payment frequency can be agreed with your carer.
Off-platform and cash payments are not accepted. These are liable to a penalty fee of £2,000. Please see our terms and conditions for more information, specifically point 9.3.
We know that care work is hard work – and we know that hiring a carer is an emotionally charged decision. We’ve done everything we can to make the process of seeking respite care as safe, seamless and stress-free as possible.
Choice is at the heart of Curam. By connecting carers and those who need care, we enable people to take control of their lives.
We’ve made it possible to hire a carer on short notice. In an emergency, you can share your needs with our carer community and get responses from vetted, available carers throughout the UK in minutes.
We are building a care community that allows each of us to live an independent life.
Curam is a community of experts. Every carer on Curam’s platform has been interviewed and fully vetted by our recruitment team. They have had a DBS check, are legally entitled to work in the UK and any qualifications mentioned on their profile are backed up with certificates.
Curam does things differently. Unlike care agencies, we make sure the choice of care is in your hands. You can interview carers personally before hiring them and have a final say on what their responsibilities will be in your home
Our carers are self-employed. Their Curam fee covers the cost of their insurance, easy-to-use service agreements and a hassle-free payment system. This means that the client pays less than they would with an agency, and the carer in turn receives a higher wage.
Overnight care with Curam respects independence. It is tailored to each individual while allowing them to sleep in the comfort of their own home. Receiving care at home can be a safer and more cost-effective alternative to a care home.
To arrange respite care on the Curam platform, create an account . If you provide us with your postcode, your care requirements, your gender preference for carers and more detail as needed, carers that fit your demonstrated needs will then apply to your Curam account.
We recommend that you call or meet your carer of choice before contracting with them. Read our advice on interviewing a potential carer.
Alternatively, you can use our search tool to find a carer that suits your needs. You can filter by care type, condition, experience, languages spoken and more in your search. If you see a particular carer that fits your criteria, send them a message outlining your care needs and checking their availability.
All carers can be tried on a trial basis and any specific arrangement can be changed or cancelled with a minimum notice of 48 hours.
Please note that Curam does not provide managed care. It’s critical to our mission that both the client and the carer have choice and control over their care relationship.
Respite care can last for anything from a few days up to a month, and sometimes even longer. Regular respite care can also be organised on an ongoing basis.
For hourly and overnight care, respite care is usually defined as fewer than five weeks. Live-in care goes from respite care to ongoing care after eight weeks.
Respite care is a short-term care solution designed to give primary caregivers a break from their usual schedule. A long-term change in care would not generally be considered respite care.
Full choice over who provides care
Get a carers for your care needs
You can join for free, no tie-in contracts.
Hours of high quality
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Experienced &
vetted carers
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Finding and managing your carer is much easier on our Curam client app. Lots of new features including digital health care plans and family sharing apps coming very soon.
per hour
per hour
per hour
For hourly care you will pay £4.30 less than the average agency rate.
All rates are negotiable.
Carers set their own rates.
10% Curam fees
