Home care · Central Bedfordshire

Respite care in Houghton Regis

A break for the person who usually provides care is the point of respite care, whether that is a couple of hours a week at home or a short care home stay. None has confirmed it to us yet, so ask the 101 CQC-registered agencies covering Houghton Regis directly.

Agencies from the CQC register, updated 27 October 2026. Prices: Typical 2026 prices across England

Written and checked by The Care Panel editorial team. Editorial policy · Our funding

The short version

  • 101 home care agencies registered with CQC have an office within 7 miles of Houghton Regis, and 39 of them hold a Good or Outstanding rating.
  • Central Bedfordshire council must offer a free care needs assessment, with the family carer entitled to a carer's assessment too.
  • Ask each agency about respite care; the CQC register has no record of who provides it.
  • At home, respite is usually billed at the normal visiting rate, about around £32–£34 an hour. The 7 local care homes charge short stays by the week.

Cite this: The Care Panel, "Respite care in Houghton Regis", analysis of the CQC register, Oct 2026.

Types of respite care

There are three main routes. A carer can come to the home for a few hours while you get out, or live in for days or weeks (live-in respite) while you are away. A care home can offer a short stay, usually a week or two and often booked well in advance for holidays. Houghton Regis has 7 care homes registered with CQC, so ask which of them offer short stays. Or there are day centres run by charities or the council.

Ask for a carer's assessment

Funded breaks, personal budgets for carers and other support can all follow from a carer's assessment. As a carer you are entitled to one from Central Bedfordshire council, free and apart from any assessment of the person you look after; it focuses on how caring affects your life. For advice, call Carers UK free on 0808 808 7777. Asking Central Bedfordshire council for an assessment.

Paying for respite yourself

Paying privately? Check each agency's shortest visit and how much notice it needs, and ask care homes if they hold rooms for short stays. Visit the home first, and pass on the care plan, the list of medicines and daily routines to help the stay go well.

Agencies covering Houghton Regis: the data

Of Houghton Regis and the 6 nearest towns we cover, Houghton Regis ranks 5th for the share of all listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding (39%); Leighton Buzzard is highest at 51%. Sahara Community Care Services - Luton has the oldest rating still in force, from September 2017. RITECARE HUB LTD is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in June 2026. Compare Houghton Regis's 66% Good or Outstanding with 83% for the rated agencies among the 375 we list in Central Bedfordshire. By specialism, 84 of 101 list physical disabilities, 50 of 101 list learning disabilities and 54 of 101 list mental health conditions. Dementia appears on 75 of 101 registrations here (74%), compared with 79% in Central Bedfordshire as a whole.

How much respite care costs in Houghton Regis

Typical 2026 prices across England
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home£1,455 a week
Nursing home£1,685 a week

Council rates in Central Bedfordshire Council: £27.89 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,007.90 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,061.41 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

Hourly rates vary between agencies more than between regions; ask each agency for its full price list, including weekend and bank holiday rates. Homecare Association figure for 2026/27: a sustainable council rate for home care in England starts at £34.42 an hour. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Work out a weekly cost · What would we pay?

Home care agencies that cover Houghton Regis

Ranked on CQC rating, its date and then distance. Ask each one about respite care.

  1. Active Homecare

    1.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Jul 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Active Homecare)

  2. 1st Homecare Solutions Limited

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Oct 2025Inspected recently
    More details (1st Homecare Solutions Limited)

  3. Violets Homecare Services Limited

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Violets Homecare Services Limited)

  4. APT Care Central Bedfordshire & Bedford

    1.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2026Inspected recently
    More details (APT Care Central Bedfordshire & Bedford)

  5. Prime Care Support Limited

    1.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2024Inspected recently
    More details (Prime Care Support Limited)

  6. The Padle Healthcare Limited

    1.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2024Inspected recently
    More details (The Padle Healthcare Limited)

  7. A Caring Company Limited

    2.8 miles · Services for everyone

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Aug 2025Inspected recently
    More details (A Caring Company Limited)

  8. APT Care Limited

    3.3 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Apr 2026Inspected recently
    More details (APT Care Limited)

  9. Lima Homecare LTD

    6.7 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Lima Homecare LTD)

  10. Rysvil Care Services Limited

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2023
    More details (Rysvil Care Services Limited)

  11. Combined Care Ltd

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2021
    More details (Combined Care Ltd)

  12. T&S Healthcare Services Limited

    1.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated May 2023
    More details (T&S Healthcare Services Limited)

  13. Caremark Central Bedfordshire

    1.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2022
    More details (Caremark Central Bedfordshire)

  14. DT Careplus

    3.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2024
    More details (DT Careplus)

  15. Abigail Court (Domicillary Care)

    4.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2023
    More details (Abigail Court (Domicillary Care))

  16. Resource Gate Care

    4.7 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2022
    More details (Resource Gate Care)

  17. Devoted To Care LTD

    4.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Aug 2024
    More details (Devoted To Care LTD)

  18. Invictus Care

    4.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated May 2022
    More details (Invictus Care)

  19. Silas Care Services Luton

    5.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2022
    More details (Silas Care Services Luton)

  20. Supported Living Service

    5.2 miles · Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2023
    More details (Supported Living Service)

All 101 home care agencies covering Houghton Regis →

Respite care in Houghton Regis: common questions

Which agencies provide respite care in Houghton Regis?

101 agencies on the CQC register have an office within 7 miles of Houghton Regis, and 39 hold a Good or Outstanding rating. Which of them provide respite care is not recorded by CQC: ask them.

Is respite care ever free?

Sometimes. Ask Central Bedfordshire council for a carer's assessment: if you are eligible, the council can arrange or fund breaks. Charities and carers' centres also run free or low-cost sitting services.

How much notice do care homes need for respite?

Some homes do not hold rooms for short stays, so ask early. Aim for several weeks ahead, and longer for school holiday periods.

What CQC ratings do agencies covering Houghton Regis have?

CQC rates 39 of 59 as Good or Outstanding, or 66%. Recent evidence: 11 rated or inspected in two years. Dementia specialists: 75.

Need respite care in Houghton Regis?

One short form: featured partners and a maximum of three rated agencies working with us will contact you directly by email.

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