Home care · County Durham

Respite care in Peterlee

Respite care is short-term care that gives a family carer a break, from a few hours a week at home to a short stay in a care home. Compare the 16 CQC-registered agencies covering Peterlee and ask which of them provide it.

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

From The Care Panel's editors; checked before it went live. Editorial policy and corrections · How we make money

Quick summary

  • Agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Peterlee: 16, with 11 rated Good or Outstanding.
  • County Durham council must offer a free care needs assessment, and a separate carer's assessment for the person who looks after them.
  • 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. A short stay in one of the 8 local care homes is charged by the week.

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

Ways to get a break

Day centres, run by charities or the council, are one choice. A short care home stay, typically one to two weeks and best booked early for holidays, is another. Peterlee has 8 care homes registered with CQC, so ask which of them offer short stays. At home, a visiting carer can cover a few hours, or a live-in carer can stay for a few days or weeks (live-in respite) so you can go away.

A carer's assessment comes first

Anyone who looks after another person can ask County Durham council for a carer's assessment of their own. It is free, it is separate from the cared-for person's assessment, and it considers how caring affects you. The outcome can include funded breaks, a personal budget for carers or other help. Free advice is available from the Carers UK helpline, 0808 808 7777. Requesting an assessment from County Durham council.

Arranging a private respite break

A smooth short stay starts with a visit to the care home and with sharing the care plan, medicines list and routines in advance. When paying yourself, also ask homes whether they set aside rooms for short stays, and ask agencies about minimum visit lengths and notice periods.

Peterlee's agencies in figures

100% of rated agencies covering Peterlee are Good or Outstanding, compared with 97% of those rated among the 189 we list across County Durham. Two-year-old ratings or newer: 25% covering Peterlee, 15% across County Durham. Outstanding: 0 covering Peterlee, 3 across County Durham. Seaham has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (79%); Peterlee, at 69%, is 4th of the 7 towns compared. Dementia appears on 15 of 16 registrations here (94%), compared with 72% in County Durham as a whole. Housing 21 - Bramble Hollow has the oldest rating still in force, from October 2018. Vestra Homecare Durham is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in August 2026. On their CQC registrations, 15 of 16 list physical disabilities, 7 of 16 list learning disabilities and 15 of 16 list mental health conditions.

How much respite care costs in Peterlee

Typical 2026 prices across England
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home£1,185 a week
Nursing home£1,305 a week

Durham County Council's own rates: £22.83 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £857 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £890 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. For 2026/27, the Homecare Association says council-funded home care in England is only sustainable at £34.42 an hour or more. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?

Home care agencies that cover Peterlee

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

  1. Quality + Care Solutions Ltd

    2.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Quality + Care Solutions Ltd)

  2. Brisca Healthcare

    2.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Aug 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Brisca Healthcare)

  3. Elite Home Care Service Limited

    6.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Elite Home Care Service Limited)

  4. Vestra Homecare Hartlepool

    6.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Vestra Homecare Hartlepool)

  5. Langley House Care Centre

    1.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2022
    More details (Langley House Care Centre)

  6. Elite Home Care Service Limited

    1.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2022
    More details (Elite Home Care Service Limited)

  7. Comfort Call Durham

    1.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2023
    More details (Comfort Call Durham)

  8. Essential Care and Support Ltd

    4.4 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Mental health conditions

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2023
    More details (Essential Care and Support Ltd)

  9. Elegance Care and Support

    5.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2022
    More details (Elegance Care and Support)

  10. Housing 21 - Bramble Hollow

    5.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2018
    More details (Housing 21 - Bramble Hollow)

  11. Direct Care and Support Team

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2020
    More details (Direct Care and Support Team)

  12. COMFYCARE VILLAS LTD

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (COMFYCARE VILLAS LTD)

  13. Vestra Homecare Durham

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (Vestra Homecare Durham)

  14. Tender Glove Healthcare

    2.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Mental health conditions

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (Tender Glove Healthcare)

  15. Adada Care Services (Durham)

    2.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (Adada Care Services (Durham))

  16. Care and Reablement Solutions LTD

    4.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (Care and Reablement Solutions LTD)

Every agency covering Peterlee (16) →

What families ask about respite care in Peterlee

Where can I find respite care in Peterlee?

CQC does not record which agencies provide respite care. 16 CQC-registered home care agencies have an office within 7 miles of Peterlee; 11 are rated Good or Outstanding. Ask each whether it provides respite care.

Is respite care ever free?

Sometimes. Ask County Durham 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.

Are home care agencies in Peterlee well rated?

11 of the 11 rated agencies (100%) are Good or Outstanding; 15 list dementia as a specialism and 4 were inspected or rated in the last two years.

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CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.

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