Home Health and disability Caring for someone Looking after someone in your care When you can’t care for someone or need a break Respite care

Respite care

Respite care is when someone else takes care of the person you usually care for.

What is respite care

It can be provided by a family member, friend or respite service.

Respite can give you a short break, and it supports the person you care for to build independence outside your home. This could be by:

  • joining a new community group
  • participating in community activities
  • having a short stay out of home to try new things, make new friends and develop new skills.

Find out more about what respite is on the Carer Gateway website.

Help to organise and pay for respite care

The person you care for may be eligible for respite services through:

  • their National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan
  • their My Aged Care package
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). 

You may be able to organise planned respite through Carer Gateway, as part of a tailored support package.

Find out more about accessing respite care through these government organisations. These links will take you away from myGov.

Emergency respite care

If you’re sick or injured, you may need to organise emergency respite care. Find out more about emergency respite on the Carer Gateway website.

Respite care and Services Australia payments

If you get Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, you need to tell Services Australia if you’re not caring for the person for a full day or longer. This includes when:

  • the person you care for is in respite
  • the person you care for is being looked after by someone else
  • the person you care for is in hospital 
  • you’re in hospital. 

Find out more about breaks from caring if you get Carer Payment or Carer Allowance on the Services Australia website.
Page last updated: 23 August 2023