4.2.3 Carers’ Breaks – Overview

1. Introduction

A carer is anyone, who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid. Carers can be adults or children.

There are many types of caring, such as taking someone to appointments, managing finances, preparing meals, helping them with bathing or toileting, managing their medication, or providing emotional support.

Many carers juggle their caring responsibilities with work, study and other family commitments.

This chapter applies to carers who have a dependent other who either lives with them, or who lives elsewhere (either on their own or in supported accommodation) but who needs regular visits, support and companionship.

It can be difficult for carers to prioritise their own needs, but breaks are vital to the carer’s own wellbeing and can help to prevent, reduce or delay the onset of their own health needs (see the chapters on Promoting Wellbeing and Preventing, Reducing or Delaying Needs). It can also give the adult who is being cared for an opportunity to enjoy new experiences, have a change of scene and routine and mix with other people.

2. Different Types of Breaks

There are different ways in which carers can take breaks; ranging from short but regular breaks, for example an hour or two each week, to occasional full days, or a one or two week holiday (the carer either goes away or stays at home with no caring responsibilities) or a combination or all of these.

3. Care Options for the Adult when the Carer is Taking a Break

There are a number of different care options available for the adult, whilst their carer has a break.

3.1 Arranging alternative care themselves

Adults and carers can make private arrangements such as:

• employing a paid care worker (directly or through an agency);
• paying for short-term residential care;
• arranging a holiday for the adult;
• using a befriending service.

3.2 Family and friends

Some carers may be able to ask friends or family to care for the adult they are looking after while they take a short break or holiday, either by them going to stay at the other person’s house or family and friends going to stay with them or visit them regularly.

3.2 Support from organisations

Bury Council Adult Care and Connect Hub can provide information about local services and organisations which provide support to adults and carers.

Organisations can provide services for either the carer or the adult, or provide information to help them decide what alternative care services to use.

3.3 Short breaks / respite care / replacement care via the local authority

See also Planned Respite Policy for Adults with Care and Support Needs

The local authority can arrange short breaks or respite care (also known as replacement care) for the adult so that the carer can have time away from caring. Such breaks can help carers stay well and feel better able to cope with caring.

To receive a short break, the local authority will conduct assessments with both the adult and the carer, to ensure they are both eligible for this support (see Assessment chapter).

The Care Act 2014 provides a legal framework for conducting assessments and determines the eligibility criteria.

Carers can request a carer’s assessment from the local authority where the adult is ordinarily resident (see Ordinary Residence chapter).

The eligibility decision-making process for carers with support needs involves consideration of the following three criteria:

• Do the needs arise because the carer is providing necessary care and support?
• Is the carer’s physical or mental health affected or at risk of deteriorating, or is the carer unable to achieve any of the listed outcomes?
• Is there consequently a significant impact on the carer’s wellbeing?

Possible outcomes:

1. Carrying out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child;
2. Providing care to other persons for whom the carer provides care;
3. Maintaining a habitable home environment;
4. Managing and maintaining nutrition;
5. Developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships;
6. Engaging in work, training, education, or volunteering;
7. Making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community including public transport and recreational facilities or services;
8. Engaging in recreational activities.

If the local authority assesses that the carer is in need of support, this may be provided directly to the carer, to the adult they are caring for or a combination of both.

For carers’ breaks it is very important that the services being provided for the person being cared for are;

• suitable for their needs; and
• that they agree to this service.

Short breaks / respite care can be provided through:

• replacement care if the adult cannot be left on their own;
• day care – where the adult attends a service or participates in activities away from home, enabling the carer to have a break;
• shared lives;
• night-sitting service –to care for the adult during the night, to enable the carer to rest and sleep throughout the night;
• residential or nursing care – where the adult goes for a short stay in a residential or nursing home;
• holidays – help and support for the carer and / or adult to go on holiday either together or separately;
• breaks using self directed support / direct payments – following assessment a person with a disability or ill health can receive payments so that they can arrange and pay for their own care and support services (see Direct Payments chapter).

3.3.1 Paying for short breaks/ respite care

Bury Council has a policy for charging residents who receive care and support services. Individuals who are assessed as requiring a respite service / short break will be financially assessed to determine their contribution towards the cost of the service.  The cost of the respite care / short break will be dependent on the type of service being received. This will be discussed fully, as part of the assessment.

If the Council does charge, it must follow the Care and Support Statutory Guidance  about how income/ capital is taken into account. Carers should be told about this as part of their assessment.

4. Unpaid Leave for Carers

Under the Carer’s Leave Act (2023), employees who provide or arrange care for someone with a long-term care need can take up to ‘one week’s’ unpaid leave each year so they can better balance work with their caring responsibilities. (The number of days they can take depends on how many days each week they work; for example if they work three days a week they can take three days a year.) The time can be taken flexibly in full or half days, or in a whole block of five days. It is available from the first day of employment, and ensures carers have the same employment protections as employees taking other forms of family-related leave.

For more information, see Unpaid Carer’s Leave (gov.uk) and the Carer’s Leave Act (Carer’s UK) 

5. Benefit Payments

Payment of benefits can sometimes be affected if the carer has a break or they or the adult goes into hospital or residential care.

Up to date advice about carers, adults and Department for Work and Pensions benefits is available from

• Carer’s UK;
• Citizens Advice Bury and Bolton;
• Department for Work and Pensions.

6. Further Reading

6.1 Related chapters

Assessment

Planned Respite Policy for Adults with Care and Support Needs

6.2 Relevant information

Carers’ breaks and respite care (NHS)

Supporting Carers Hub (ADASS)

Quick guide: Supporting People who Provide Unpaid Care for Adults with Health or Social Care Needs (NICE and SCIE)

Social Work Practice with Carers (Research in Practice for Adults, Department of Health and Social Care)