Respite care explained: types, costs and how to get a break

Respite care gives carers a break. Here are the four main types, what they cost, and how to access them through My Aged Care, the NDIS or Carer Gateway.

If you're caring for someone, you already know the truth nobody says out loud: you can't pour from an empty cup. Respite care is the system's name for letting you put the cup down for a while. Someone else takes over the caring, and you get a break, whether that's an afternoon, a weekend, or a couple of weeks.

This guide walks through what respite actually looks like, what it costs, and the three doors you can knock on to arrange it. No jargon left undefined, no assumptions about how much you already know.

What respite care actually means

Respite is care for the person you look after, arranged so that you, the carer, can step back. The person you care for might go somewhere, or a worker might come to them. Either way, the point is your break, not theirs.

People reach for respite for all sorts of reasons. A medical appointment of your own. A wedding you don't want to miss. A week where you're just bone-tired and need to sleep. Or an emergency, where you've fallen ill yourself and physically can't continue. All of these are valid. You don't have to be at breaking point to deserve a break.

The four main types of respite

Respite isn't one thing. It comes in a few shapes, and the right one depends on how much support the person needs and how long you want off.

In-home respite

A support worker comes to the home and takes over while you go out or rest. This suits people who are settled in their own surroundings and would find leaving stressful. It can be a few hours during the day or, in some cases, overnight.

Centre-based or day respite

The person you care for spends the day at a day centre, often with social activities, meals and company built in. You drop them off, you collect them later. Many carers find this one does double duty: you get your break, and the person you care for gets a change of scene and a bit of social contact.

Cottage respite

Cottage respite is an overnight or weekend stay in a community setting, usually a small homely house rather than a big facility. According to My Aged Care, it's typically taken for a couple of days at a time and is useful when you need a longer block than a single day but don't want a full residential stay.

Residential respite

This is a short stay in an aged care home, anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It suits people who need support with most daily tasks, or carers who need a proper stretch of time off, say for surgery, travel, or recovery. The person you care for gets full-time care in the home for the length of the stay.

For people whose needs relate to disability rather than ageing, the NDIS funds its own version of this, called short term accommodation. More on that below.

How much respite care costs

Cost depends entirely on which door you came through, so let's take them one at a time.

Through aged care (My Aged Care)

If the person you care for is 65 or older (or 50+ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), respite is usually arranged through My Aged Care. Lower-level respite like in-home or day respite often comes through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), where you pay a contribution your provider sets out for you.

For residential respite, you generally pay the basic daily fee. My Aged Care sets this at 85% of the single basic age pension, and it is re-indexed each 20 March and 20 September. The maximum is $66.80 a day (current as at June 2026), per My Aged Care, short-term care costs; check the live figure there before relying on it. Importantly, you should not be charged means-tested care fees or accommodation costs for respite, though a provider may ask for a booking fee. Always get the fees in writing in a respite service agreement before the stay.

Through the NDIS

If the person has an NDIS plan, respite is funded as short term accommodation (renamed short term respite by the NDIS in late 2025), which covers the care, food and activities during a stay away from home. The NDIS says most eligible participants get funding for up to 28 days a year, with a maximum of 14 days at a time. You can use it flexibly, a weekend here, a longer block there.

Through Carer Gateway

Carer Gateway is the national service for carers, funded by the government. It can arrange and sometimes fund planned respite directly, especially where the person you care for doesn't fit neatly into aged care or NDIS. It's also your emergency option, which we cover in a separate guide.

How to get respite: which door do I knock on?

Use this quick decision guide.

Is the person 65+ (or 50+ if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander)? Start with My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and ask for an assessment. Residential respite needs an ACAT assessment first.
Does the person have an NDIS plan? Talk to your plan manager, support coordinator, or the NDIS about short term accommodation funding at your next plan review.
Neither, or you're not sure? Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. They'll work out what you're entitled to and help arrange it.

The steps, roughly

Get the assessment. For aged care residential respite, you need an ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) assessment. It's free. My Aged Care arranges it.
Find a provider with a place. Respite beds are in demand, so book ahead where you can. Our directory can help you find aged care homes and community respite options near you.
Agree the fees in writing. Before any stay, you should receive a respite service agreement setting out exactly what you'll pay.
Book it, and use it. Don't bank your respite days for a rainy day that never comes. Carers who take regular breaks last longer.

A few honest tips from carers

Book the first stay before you desperately need it. Emergencies aside, a planned break you've tested is far less stressful than a crisis booking.
Expect a settling-in period. The person you care for may resist the first time. That's normal and usually passes. It doesn't mean respite is wrong for them.
Pack familiar things for a residential or cottage stay: a favourite blanket, photos, their own toiletries. Familiarity reduces distress.
Use the break to actually rest, not to spring-clean the house. The point is you.

Frequently asked questions

Is respite care free?
Some lower-level respite is subsidised with a small contribution; residential respite usually has a basic daily fee. The exact amount depends on the program and is set out in your service agreement before the stay.

How many days of residential respite can I get?
My Aged Care funds up to 63 days of subsidised residential respite per financial year (covering both planned and emergency respite), which can be extended by 21 days at a time with assessor approval. See the My Aged Care respite page.

Can I get respite in an emergency?
Yes. Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. See our guide on emergency respite for the full process.

Will the person I care for be safe and looked after?
Respite providers are the same regulated aged care and disability services that deliver ongoing care. You can check aged care homes against official star ratings and verification before you book.

Where to next

Caring is a marathon, and respite is how you finish it without collapsing. Start the conversation early, take the breaks you're entitled to, and lean on the services built for exactly this.

Browse respite care providers near you, explore aged care and home care options, or read about the wider community supports that can lighten the load. If your situation involves disability, our NDIS section covers short term accommodation in more detail.