Respite Care In Australia: What It Costs, How Long It Lasts, and Who Pays
It’s the middle of an ordinary afternoon, and you can’t remember the last time you sat down with a cup of tea while it was still hot. You love the person you’re caring for, you’d do it all again tomorrow, but undeniably, you are completely exhausted.
You can love a person, and feel completely drained at the same time – both those things can be true simultaneously, but that doesn’t make you any less devoted. This right here, is exactly what respite care is for.
So, let’s talk about what respite care actually is, the different kinds you can access (and for how long), and the ultimate question that stops most families in their tracks: Who pays?
What Is Respite Care?
In plain terms, respite care is simply short-term care for your loved one that gives you, the carer, a chance to rest, recover, or simply tend to the rest of your life for a little while.
That’s the part most people often miss. Respite care isn’t a sign you’ve stopped coping. It’s the thing that helps you keep coping. Whether that means a planned weekend away, a few hours each week for your own appointments, a proper sleep, or emergency cover when life throws something unexpected at you.
The care can happen in your own home, out in the community, or in an aged care home for a short stay. The right kind depends on what you and your loved one need – so let’s walk through the options together, gently.
When Might You Need Respite Care?
There’s no “right” reason to ask for a break, and no threshold of exhaustion you have to reach first.
But if any of these scenarios sound familiar, it’s worth looking into respite care:
- You’re caring most days and your own health, sleep, or relationships are starting to fray.
- You have a wedding, a medical procedure, or travel coming up and need someone to step in.
- Something serious happens suddenly – an injury, a family emergency, and you need cover now.
- You’re wondering, quietly, whether a permanent aged care home might be needed one day, and you’d like to ease into the idea rather than leap.
If you nodded at even one of these scenarios, you’re not asking for too much – you’re being sensible.
The Different Types of Respite Care
There’s no single version of respite care. There are a few, and they’re more flexible than most people realise.
Here are the three main types of respite care:
In-Home Respite
Sometimes called flexible respite, in-home respite is when a paid carer comes to your home, either during the day or overnight, so you can step away knowing your loved one is in good hands, and in familiar surroundings. It’s often the gentlest option for someone who finds leaving home unsettling, and the easiest to slot into a normal week.
Centre-Based and Cottage Respite
Centre-based respite happens at a day centre, where your loved one can join activities and a bit of company (and yes, tea and biscuits are usually involved). Cottage respite offers a short overnight stay – a weekend, perhaps, and within a relaxed, home-like setting. Both give you a longer, more restful window than a couple of hours can.
Residential Respite Care
This is a short stay in an aged care home, with care available around the clock. Families often turn to residential respite when they need a proper stretch of time off, or as a low-pressure way to “try before you decide” if a permanent move might be on the horizon one day. Your loved one gets meals, company, and support; you get to exhale.
How Long Can You Stay In Respite Care?
Here’s the question we hear most – and the good news is, the answer is more generous than people expect.
For residential respite, you’re entitled to 63 days in a financial year. And if you need more, an aged care assessor can approve up to another 21 days on top of that – taking you to a possible 84 days across the year.
In-home and community respite work a little differently. Support at Home funding can be used and a support plan can be tailored to your needs. There is no strict day count like Residential Respite Care, so the rhythm is yours to shape., so the rhythm is yours to shape. This could mean having either a regular weekly visit, or a block of days when you need it. Either way, the message is the same: there’s real, meaningful time available to you here. You don’t have to ration yourself down to a single stolen afternoon.
What Does Respite Care Cost, And Who Pays?
Money is where most people freeze. Surely a stay in an aged care home costs a fortune? It’s a fair worry, so here’s the honest picture for government-subsidised respite care.
The Basic Daily Fee
For residential respite, there’s a basic daily fee, set by the government at 85% of the single basic age pension. As at March 2026, that comes to a maximum of around $66.80 a day – and the figure is typically reviewed each March and September in line with the pension.
The rest of the cost is covered by government funding. So while it isn’t completely free, it’s a long way from the figures families fear when they first start looking.
What You Won’t Be Asked to Pay
This part brings real relief to a lot of people. For respite, you don’t need to complete an income and assets assessment. And your provider can’t ask you for means-tested care contributions or accommodation costs the way they might for a permanent move into care.
In other words: Respite care is designed to be reachable, because a break shouldn’t be a luxury only some carers can afford.
How to Arrange Respite Care Through My Aged Care
The path is simpler than it looks, and you don’t have to walk it alone.
- Start with My Aged Care: A quick phone call or online enquiry gets the ball rolling, visit here to begin your application.
- Have an assessment: For residential respite care, you’ll need an ACAT assessment to confirm what you’re eligible for – it’s a conversation about your situation, not a test you can fail.
- Find a place: Once you’re approved, it’s about finding a respite spot that suits you and your loved one – and that’s exactly where a hand can help.
If the steps feel like one more thing on an already-full plate, that’s understandable. You can read our overview of respite care for the full picture, or get your bearings first with the My Aged Care program guide.
Respite Care Under Support at Home
Since November 2025, Support at Home has replaced the former Home Care Packages’ system (see what’s changed here) – and respite still has a firm place in the system.
In-home (flexible) respite care can be funded through Support at Home (SAH), the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), or the Transition Care Programme, depending on your circumstances. Residential respite continues to work as it always has, and is accessible through My Aged Care, with the day limits and fees we covered above.
Respite Care is categorised under Independence Services, which means a co-contribution of 5-50% may apply depending on your income status and Support at Home approval date (of course, our dedicated Care Advisers can talk you through how this all works).
There’s also Carer Gateway, a free government service made specifically for carers. Through a tailored support package, you may be able to access planned and emergency respite – so if something suddenly comes up, there’s a number to call: 1800 422 737.
And if you’re weighing up in-home care more broadly, respite can be a low-pressure way to dip a toe in and see what having support actually feels like.
Respite Care: Your Questions, Answered
Is Respite Care Free in Australia?
Government-subsidised respite care isn’t entirely free, but it’s heavily funded. For residential respite, you pay a basic daily fee of up to around $66.80 (as at March 2026), with the government covering the rest. In-home respite costs vary by service and provider.
How Much Does Respite Care Cost per Day?
For residential respite, the basic daily fee is capped at 85% of the single basic age pension, which is about $66.80 a day at March 2026. There are no accommodation or means-tested costs for respite, unlike a permanent move into care.
How Many Days of Respite Care Are You Allowed?
You’re entitled to 63 days of residential respite per financial year, and an aged care assessor can approve up to 21 extra days if you need them (for up to 84 days in total).
Who Pays for Respite Care in Australia?
The government funds most of the cost. For residential respite, you contribute a basic daily fee; the rest is government-subsidised. You won’t be asked to complete an income and assets assessment for respite care.
Do You Need an ACAT Assessment for Respite Care?
For residential respite care, yes – an ACAT assessment confirms your eligibility. Some in-home and community respite can be arranged through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme without a full ACAT assessment.
Can Support at Home Pay for Respite Care?
Yes, in-home (flexible) respite care can be funded through Support at Home, which replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025. Residential respite care is accessed separately through My Aged Care.
Because Respite Care sits within Independence Services, a co-contribution of 5–50% may apply – the exact amount depends on your income status and Support at Home approval date. As always, our Care Advisers can help make sense of it all.
It’s Okay to Need a Break
Now, let’s go back to that hot cup of tea you never get to finish.
Taking respite care doesn’t mean stepping back from someone you love. It means giving yourself enough room to keep showing up for them – rested, steadier, more like yourself. Carers who take regular breaks tend to care for longer, and more happily (for a real-life example of how having the right support can truly improve your quality of life, see Julia’s story here).
You’ve carried a lot, now it’s okay to free some of this weight where you can – and there’s absolutely no guilt in that, because even the world’s strongest soldiers need rest.
