Home care in Croydon & Bromley
Respite care: because carers need care too
Respite care gives family carers across Croydon and Bromley a real break (a few hours each week, a long weekend, or full holiday cover) while a trained, DBS-checked carer keeps your loved one’s routines, meals and medication exactly as they should be at home. You rest properly; they stay comfortable in familiar surroundings.
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- CQC rated “Good” (opens in a new tab)Across all five areas
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- NHS-listed (opens in a new tab)Trusted since 2019
- Carers we employDBS-checked, not agency
Quick answers for families in Croydon and Bromley
How much does respite care cost in Croydon?
Respite care at home starts from £26 an hour, the same at weekends, and the first home visit is free. Bank holidays are charged at double the usual rate. A carer's assessment from Croydon Council or Bromley Council may lead to help with the cost of a regular break.
How do I get a break from caring in Croydon or Bromley?
Ask for a free carer's assessment: in Croydon through Carers First, or your relative's social worker if they already have council support, and in Bromley through Bromley Council, with support from Bromley Well. Then tell us the dates or the regular slot you need, from a few hours a week to a fortnight away.
Can respite care start at short notice?
Often, yes. When a family carer is suddenly ill or called away, call us on 07575 298602 and we will tell you straight away what we can cover and how quickly. Urgent calls are answered 24 hours a day.
Who is respite care for?
- Family carers who cannot remember their last proper day off
- Sons and daughters covering care alongside work and children
- Anyone needing cover for a holiday, an operation or an emergency
- Families wanting to try home care gently before committing long-term
- Spouses caring around the clock who need a few regular hours to themselves
- Families who want every routine kept exactly the same while they step away
What’s included
- Cover from a few hours to several weeks, planned or last-minute
- Every routine kept: meals, medication, hobbies, bedtime
- Personal care and mobility support to the same standard as ongoing care
- Companionship so the day feels pleasant, not just supervised
- Dementia-aware carers when familiarity matters most
- A written handover so you come home to no surprises
What respite care looks like day to day
Respite care gives the person the support they are used to while their main carer, usually a husband, wife, son, or daughter, takes a proper break. That break might be a planned holiday, a few hours each week to breathe, or urgent cover when a family carer is suddenly ill or called away. Whatever the reason, the aim is the same: the family carer gets to step back and recharge, and the person at home barely feels a change in their day. We can provide respite as regular visits through the week or as live-in cover for a run of days, and we work hard to keep everything familiar, following the same routines, the same mealtimes, and the same small comforts the regular carer has built up. Handing over the care of someone you love is not easy, so we take time to learn exactly how things are done before the break begins.
- A planned breakA planned break for the family carer, from a few hours a week to a fortnight away.
- Emergency coverShort-notice and emergency cover when a carer is unwell or suddenly called away.
- The same routineThe same daily routine kept going: washing, dressing, meals, and medication on time.
- Company & activityCompany and gentle activity, so the time is enjoyed rather than simply supervised.
- Visits or live-inRespite at home as regular visits, or live-in cover for a run of days and nights.
- A careful handoverA careful handover first, so we follow the routine and preferences already in place.
- Updates while awayRegular updates to the family while they are away, as often as they would like.
- A written noteA written note back to the family on how the time went, ready for when they return.
We keep you in the picture
A break only does its job if the family carer can relax, and that depends on trusting that things are handled and that they will hear if they are needed. So we agree beforehand exactly how much contact you want while you are away: a daily message, a quick call if anything comes up, or a full written handover for when you are back. If something changes during the break, an off day, a minor illness, a question about medication, we deal with it calmly and let you know in the way we agreed, without turning your time off into a stream of worried phone calls. Everything is recorded, so nothing is lost between us and you. And because respite so often becomes the gentle first step into regular help, the same familiar carers can continue if that is what the family decides, with no need to explain everything again to someone new.
The same familiar faces
The point of respite is that the family carer can switch off, which only happens if they trust the people stepping in. So we keep respite carers as consistent as we can, employ them directly, and DBS-check and train every one of them. Before a planned break we sit down to learn the routine in detail: how the day flows, what helps, what to avoid, and who to call if something changes. During the break we keep in touch as much or as little as the family wants, and we write up how each day has gone so nothing is lost in the handover back. If respite goes well and the family later wants regular help, the same team can carry on, so there is no starting again with strangers. And there is always an on-call line, so even on their break the family knows a real person is only a phone call away.
Respite care in Croydon and Bromley
In Croydon
In Croydon, unpaid carers can ask for a free carer's assessment. If the person you look after already has council support, ask their social worker; otherwise contact Carers First, the carers' service commissioned by Croydon Council. The assessment looks at your own needs, including breaks, and may lead to help with the cost. Respite with us can then be a few hours each week or cover for a holiday, arranged from our office on Purley Way.
Croydon Council: carer's assessments
How unpaid carers in Croydon ask for a free assessment of their own needs, including breaks from caring.
Carers First (Croydon)
The carers' service commissioned by Croydon Council: advice, carer's assessments and support for unpaid carers.
Age UK Croydon
Free information and guidance for older people in Croydon, and the Memory Tree Café for people with dementia and their carers.
In Bromley
In Bromley, carers can ask Bromley Council for a carer's assessment, and Bromley Well offers free support for unpaid carers, funded by the council and NHS South East London. A planned break can be arranged around a holiday, a hospital appointment of your own, or a regular afternoon off, with the same routine kept going at home in Bromley, Beckenham or Orpington.
Bromley Council: carer's assessments
How unpaid carers in Bromley ask the council for an assessment of their own needs as a carer.
Bromley Well
Free health and wellbeing services in Bromley, including support for unpaid adult and young carers.
Age UK Bromley & Greenwich
The local Age UK for older people in Bromley, with information, advice and practical support services.
How care begins
Call us
A friendly chat about what would help, no scripts, no pressure.
Free home visit
We meet you at home, listen properly and shape a plan together.
Care begins
We tell you who your carers will be, and care often starts within days.
Inspected and rated by the Care Quality Commission
The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. They inspected us across five areas, and rated us “Good” in every one, our current published rating.
- Safe
- Effective
- Caring
- Responsive
- Well-led
Fabulous Homecare Ltd
“We have been using Fabulous Homecare for about two years. The management and staff are truly kind and professional — exceptional in understanding our needs and caring with their hearts.”
Respite care: common questions
How much does respite care cost?
From £26 an hour, with the first home visit free. A free carer's assessment from the council can lead to funded breaks, and if your loved one already has a council care package, respite may be partly funded. Our funding guide explains where to start.
Can you take over at short notice?
Often yes. Emergencies are exactly when respite matters most. Call us on 07575 298602 and we will tell you straight away what we can cover and how quickly.
Will my husband accept a stranger caring for him?
We arrange an introduction visit first, learn his routines and preferences from you in detail, and send the same carer each time wherever possible. Keeping the same carer wherever possible helps the visits feel familiar quickly.
Is it selfish to want a break?
No, it is necessary. Carers who never rest burn out, and then two people need care instead of one. Taking a proper break is one of the most caring things you can do for both of you.
Related reading
Last reviewed July 2026 · Reviewed by Roseline Fazal Masih, Registered Manager · Registered Nurse
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