Emergency respite care: what to do if a family carer can’t cope

If a family carer suddenly can’t cope, because of illness, injury, a crisis or exhaustion, contact the adult social care team for the borough where the person being cared for lives and say it is an emergency. Out of hours, ask for the council’s emergency duty team. The council can arrange urgent care before a full assessment. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999. You can also book emergency respite care privately with a home care agency, sometimes within 24 to 48 hours.

Arranging care in West Sussex instead? Read our guide: Emergency Respite Care: What to Do When You Can’t Provide Care.

At a glance

• Immediate danger or a medical emergency: call 999. Urgent health advice: NHS 111.
• London councils have adult social care teams in the day and emergency duty teams out of hours.
• Under the Care Act 2014 (s19(3)), a council can arrange care urgently before an assessment is finished.
• Private urgent home care in London typically costs £30–£40 an hour as of 2026, plus any short-notice, weekend or bank-holiday premium.
• If you are struggling emotionally, Samaritans are free on 116 123, day or night.

First: is anyone in danger right now?

Take a moment to check safety before anything else.

• Call 999 if the person you care for, or you, has a serious injury, collapse, chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke, or is at risk of harm.
• Call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice that is not life-threatening, including mental health support, 24 hours a day.
• Call Samaritans on 116 123 if you feel overwhelmed or unsafe. The line is free and open around the clock (Carers UK).

If the carer has been taken to hospital, tell the ambulance crew or hospital staff straight away that someone at home depends on them. Staff can then alert social services.

Step 1: Contact the council’s adult social care team

In London, social care is run by the 32 boroughs and the City of London. Contact the borough where the person being cared for lives, not where you live.

During office hours, call the adult social care front door (sometimes called the access team or first contact team). Say:

• “This is an emergency. The main carer can no longer provide care.”
• Who the person is, their address, and their main needs.
• Whether they are safe right now and how long they can be left alone.
• What has happened to the carer.

Out of hours, at night, weekends and on bank holidays, call the council’s emergency duty team. Carers UK says these teams provide an emergency social work service when normal offices are closed. The number is usually on the borough’s website or given by the council’s main switchboard.

You’ll find links to every borough in our guide to London borough adult social care contacts.

What the council can do

Under section 19(3) of the Care Act 2014, the council can meet urgent needs before it has finished an assessment. In an emergency, it may:

• send care workers to the home;
• arrange an emergency short stay in a care home;
• contact family or friends named in a contingency plan;
• start a Care Act needs assessment and a carer’s assessment once the crisis has passed.

Council-arranged care may later be means-tested. In 2026/27 the upper capital limit in England is £23,250 (DHSC). Don’t let worries about cost delay a call in an emergency.

Step 2: Use your emergency plan, if you have one

Carers UK encourages every carer to have a written contingency plan. If one exists, now is the time to use it. It should list:

• people who can step in and who have a key;
• medicines, doses and where they are kept;
• the GP, pharmacy and any nurses or care agencies involved;
• mobility aids, allergies, and what helps if the person becomes upset.

Some areas run a carers emergency card scheme. Carers UK explains that cardholders carry an ID number linked to a pre-arranged plan that emergency responders can access 24 hours a day. Ask your borough whether it runs one.

If you don’t have a plan, gather these details now for whoever steps in.

Step 3: Arrange emergency respite care

There are three main routes. You may use more than one.

Booking private emergency respite at home

A CQC-registered home care agency may be able to start quickly, particularly for visiting care. To speed things up:

• say it is urgent and give a start date and time;
• describe needs clearly: personal care, mobility, continence, medicines, dementia;
• ask whether they can do a same-day assessment by phone or in person;
• ask about live-in or overnight care if the person cannot be left alone;
• get the price in writing, including weekend, night and bank-holiday rates.

As of 2026, London agencies typically charge £30–£40 an hour for weekday visiting care, with weekends often 10–25% more. Live-in care in London is typically £1,300–£1,800 a week for one person. Sources vary. See our guide to urgent home care in London for more on fast starts.

Step 4: Look after the carer

Carer breakdown rarely comes out of nowhere. Once the immediate crisis is covered:

• See your GP. Tell them you are a carer and how you are feeling.
• Ask for a carer’s assessment. Your council must assess any carer who appears to need support, whatever their finances.
• Talk to someone. The Carers UK Helpline is on 0808 808 7777 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm).
• Accept that you need a break. Needing help is not failure.

Step 5: Plan so it doesn’t happen again

Once things are stable, use the emergency to set up proper support:

1. Ask the council to complete a needs assessment for the person you care for and a carer’s assessment for you. Our guide on how to get respite care from your council explains what to say.
2. Arrange regular respite, such as a weekly afternoon or a few nights a month. See respite care at home in London: costs and how to book.
3. Write or update your contingency plan. Carers UK recommends including medicines, emergency contacts, GP and pharmacy details, mobility aids and behaviour needs. Carers UK’s MyBackUp tool can help.
4. Share the plan with family, neighbours, the GP and any care agency.
5. Check benefits. The person you care for may qualify for Attendance Allowance (£76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27), and you may qualify for Carer’s Allowance of £86.45 a week (DWP).

Common emergency scenarios

The carer has been admitted to hospital

Tell hospital staff about the person at home straight away. Call the council or emergency duty team. If family can step in for a day or two, private visiting care can bridge the gap until council support or a longer-term plan is in place.

The carer is exhausted and at breaking point

This counts as an emergency too. Call the council and say the caring arrangement is at risk of breaking down. Explain what could happen if you can’t continue, for example that the person would be left alone. Ask for urgent replacement care and a carer’s assessment.

The person being cared for has dementia and can’t be left alone

Ask for someone to be with them continuously, such as a live-in carer or waking night care, rather than short visits. Tell the agency or council about wandering, sundowning or other risks.

The person you care for is being discharged from hospital and you can’t cope

Tell the ward before discharge. Hospitals must involve unpaid carers in discharge decisions where appropriate. Short-term reablement or intermediate care may be available. See our respite care hub for more options.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I call for emergency respite care in London?

Call the adult social care team for the borough where the person being cared for lives, and say it is an emergency. At night, weekends and bank holidays, ask for the council’s emergency duty team. If anyone is in danger, call 999. You can also contact a CQC-registered home care agency for urgent private care.

How quickly can emergency respite care start?

In a genuine emergency, councils can arrange care before a full assessment is finished, though how fast depends on local capacity. Private home care agencies can sometimes start within 24 to 48 hours, depending on carer availability. Having a written emergency plan with medicines and routines helps any carer start safely and quickly.

Is emergency respite care free?

Not always. Council-arranged care is usually means-tested afterwards, with an upper capital limit of £23,250 in England (2026/27). Some support for carers is free. Private care is paid by the family. Don’t delay asking for help because of cost, and ask the council about charges once the person is safe.

What if the person I care for refuses a stranger?

Explain gently that it is temporary and that you need to rest or recover. Where possible, use a familiar face first, such as a relative or neighbour, while care is arranged. Tell the agency about the person’s routine, likes and worries so the carer can build trust quickly.

What is a carers emergency card?

Some areas run schemes where a carer carries a card with an ID number. If the carer is taken ill or has an accident, emergency services can use the number to access a pre-arranged plan for the person they care for. Carers UK says names vary by area. Ask your borough if one exists.

Sources

• Carers UK: Getting help in an emergency
• Carers UK: Creating a contingency plan
• Carers UK: Helpline and other support
• NHS.uk: Carers’ breaks and respite care
• GOV.UK: Care and support statutory guidance
• GOV.UK: Hospital discharge and community support guidance
• DHSC: Social care charging 2026 to 2027
• DWP: Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027
• Lottie: Cost of respite care
• Lottie: Care at home costs
• Steaz Forte: How much does home care cost in London?

This guide is general information, not financial, legal or medical advice. Last reviewed September 2026.

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 24 September 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.