Home care · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Respite care in Bournemouth

Respite care gives a family carer time off: it can be a few hours each week at home, or a brief stay in a care home. 144 agencies registered with CQC cover Bournemouth. Check with each one that it provides this kind of care.

Agency data: CQC register · Updated 27 October 2026 · Prices: Prices typically seen across England in 2026

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Key points

  • Of the 144 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Bournemouth, 106 have a Good or Outstanding rating.
  • Ask Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council for a care needs assessment, which is free, and the person caring for them can have their own carer's assessment.
  • The CQC register does not say who provides respite care: ask the agencies directly.
  • Respite care at home is usually charged at the visiting rate, typically around £32–£34 an hour. The 62 local care homes charge short stays by the week.

Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Respite care in Bournemouth", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.

Your respite options

  • Respite at home: a few hours of visits, or a live-in carer for days or weeks while you are away.
  • Care home stay: usually one or two weeks, booked well ahead for holiday periods. There are 62 CQC-registered care homes in Bournemouth; ask which take short stays.
  • Day centre: run by the council or a charity.

Start with a carer's assessment

If you look after someone, you are entitled to your own free carer's assessment from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, separate from the assessment of the person you care for. It looks at the effect caring has on you and can lead to funded breaks, a carer's personal budget or other support. Carers UK runs a free helpline on 0808 808 7777. Asking Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council for an assessment.

If you are paying privately

  • Agencies: ask for the minimum visit length and the notice they need.
  • Care homes: ask whether rooms are kept for short stays, and visit before booking.
  • Before the stay: share the care plan, the medicines and the daily routine.

What the register shows for Bournemouth

Registered specialisms here: 128 of 144 list physical disabilities, 79 of 144 list learning disabilities and 75 of 144 list mental health conditions. In Bournemouth, 83% of agencies support people with dementia (120 of 144); the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole figure is 83%. Corfe Mullen has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (83%); Bournemouth, at 74%, is 5th of the 7 towns compared. One rating goes back to January 2019: Inter County Care - Christchurch. Ask what has changed since. CQC registered Home Instead Bournemouth and Christchurch in September 2026, the newest on this list. 98% of rated agencies covering Bournemouth are Good or Outstanding, compared with 98% of those rated among the 161 we list across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Paying for respite care in Bournemouth: typical prices

Prices typically seen across England in 2026
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home£1,445 a week
Nursing home£1,690 a week

What Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council pays providers: £26.75 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,220 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,293 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

The gap between agencies is bigger than the gap between regions. Ask for prices in writing, and check what weekends and bank holidays cost. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Check what you would pay · Weekly cost calculator

Home care agencies covering Bournemouth

Not confirmed for respite care, so ask. Listed by CQC rating and rating date, then distance.

  1. Lewis-Manning Hospice Care

    4.7 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Adults under 65

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Aug 2026Inspected recently
    Full profile (Lewis-Manning Hospice Care)

  2. Aucklands Care

    3.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Dec 2023
    Full profile (Aucklands Care)

  3. Better Care at Home East

    3.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Mar 2022
    Full profile (Better Care at Home East)

  4. Bourne-Citizen Ltd

    under 0.5 miles · Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2026Inspected recently
    Full profile (Bourne-Citizen Ltd)

  5. My Homecare Bournemouth

    0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (My Homecare Bournemouth)

  6. CaringSmart Ltd - Dorset

    0.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (CaringSmart Ltd - Dorset)

  7. Bournemouth Rainbow Ltd

    0.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Bournemouth Rainbow Ltd)

  8. AQS Homecare Dorset

    0.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (AQS Homecare Dorset)

  9. Age UK Bournemouth

    0.7 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Age UK Bournemouth)

  10. Green Cross Medicare Limited

    0.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Green Cross Medicare Limited)

  11. Impressions Care House

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2024Inspected recently
    Full profile (Impressions Care House)

  12. Caremark Bournemouth

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated May 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Caremark Bournemouth)

  13. YOU-CAS Limited

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (YOU-CAS Limited)

  14. Global Healthcare Solutions

    1.0 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Global Healthcare Solutions)

  15. Adonai Care Services Ltd

    1.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Aug 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Adonai Care Services Ltd)

  16. Lifeways Community Care (Poole)

    1.2 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Learning disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2026Inspected recently
    Full profile (Lifeways Community Care (Poole))

  17. JS Care 4 All Ltd

    1.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2026Inspected recently
    Full profile (JS Care 4 All Ltd)

  18. Oasis Healthcare Solutions Ltd

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2026Inspected recently
    Full profile (Oasis Healthcare Solutions Ltd)

  19. Aspect Domiciliary Care Limited

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Aspect Domiciliary Care Limited)

  20. Care South Home Care Services Dorset

    1.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2025Inspected recently
    Full profile (Care South Home Care Services Dorset)

All 144 home care agencies covering Bournemouth →

Questions about respite care in Bournemouth

Which agencies provide respite care in Bournemouth?

The CQC register does not show who offers respite care. There are 144 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Bournemouth, 106 of them rated Good or Outstanding, so ask each one.

Can I get respite care for free?

It can be. If a carer's assessment from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council finds you eligible, the council may arrange or pay for breaks, and carers' centres and charities run sitting services that are free or cheap.

How early do care homes need respite bookings?

Book weeks in advance, further ahead for school holidays, and check first that the home offers short stays at all.

What CQC ratings do agencies covering Bournemouth have?

CQC rates 106 of 108 as Good or Outstanding, or 98%. Recent evidence: 51 rated or inspected in two years. Dementia specialists: 120.

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