Home care · Hertfordshire

Respite care in Bishop's Stortford

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 31 CQC-registered agencies covering Bishop's Stortford directly.

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

Written by our editorial team, then checked. How we write guides · Our funding

Key points

  • 31 home care agencies registered with CQC have an office within 7 miles of Bishop's Stortford, and 16 of them hold a Good or Outstanding rating.
  • A care needs assessment from Hertfordshire council costs nothing, 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. A short stay in one of the 7 local care homes is charged by the week.

To cite: "Respite care in Bishop's Stortford", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.

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. Bishop's Stortford 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.

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.

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 Hertfordshire 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. How to ask Hertfordshire council for an assessment.

Agencies covering Bishop's Stortford: the data

The share registered for dementia is 90% in Bishop's Stortford (28 of 31) and 78% across Hertfordshire. Oldest rating on the list: Diamond Unique Care Limited, June 2017. Most recent to register: RJN Care Solutions Limited (August 2026). By specialism, 27 of 31 list physical disabilities, 16 of 31 list learning disabilities and 15 of 31 list mental health conditions. Compare Bishop's Stortford's 89% Good or Outstanding with 87% for the rated agencies among the 981 we list in Hertfordshire. 16% of agencies covering Bishop's Stortford have a CQC rating from the last two years, against 8% across Hertfordshire. Outstanding ratings: 1 covering Bishop's Stortford, 11 across Hertfordshire. Counting all listed agencies, not only rated ones, Bishop's Stortford (52% Good or Outstanding) is 7th out of 7 local towns, led by Great Dunmow (69%).

How much respite care costs in Bishop's Stortford

Typical prices across England in 2026
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

What the council pays (Hertfordshire County Council): £31.82 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £905.57 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,036.29 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. 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. Check what you would pay · Weekly cost calculator

Home care agencies that cover Bishop's Stortford

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

  1. Kindherts Care Ltd

    0.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Kindherts Care Ltd)

  2. St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency

    4.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2025Inspected recently
    More details (St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency)

  3. Violet Care Agency Ltd

    5.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Violet Care Agency Ltd)

  4. Care Just 4U

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2024Inspected recently
    More details (Care Just 4U)

  5. Central Care Recruitment Limited

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2022
    More details (Central Care Recruitment Limited)

  6. Lehope Care Limited

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Apr 2023
    More details (Lehope Care Limited)

  7. Universal Complex Care

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated May 2023
    More details (Universal Complex Care)

  8. At Home Support Services Limited

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2024
    More details (At Home Support Services Limited)

  9. HF Trust Herts and Essex

    under 0.5 miles · Older people, Learning disabilities, Adults under 65

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2018
    More details (HF Trust Herts and Essex)

  10. Professional Nursing Services Limited - 25A White Horse Court

    under 0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2019
    More details (Professional Nursing Services Limited - 25A White Horse Court)

  11. Sierra Homecare

    2.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2021
    More details (Sierra Homecare)

  12. Home Instead East Hertfordshire and Uttlesford

    3.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £33–£40/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2019
    More details (Home Instead East Hertfordshire and Uttlesford)

  13. Helping Hands Harlow

    6.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£35/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2021
    More details (Helping Hands Harlow)

  14. North London Homecare & Support Limited

    6.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    OutstandingRated Apr 2019
    More details (North London Homecare & Support Limited)

  15. Diamond Unique Care Limited

    6.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2017
    More details (Diamond Unique Care Limited)

  16. Manorcourt Homecare

    7.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2019
    More details (Manorcourt Homecare)

  17. Caremark (Harlow & Epping Forest)

    6.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    Requires improvementRated Dec 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Caremark (Harlow & Epping Forest))

  18. Sagecare (Biggleswade)

    0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    Requires improvementRated Apr 2020
    More details (Sagecare (Biggleswade))

  19. Care By Us Limited

    0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (Care By Us Limited)

  20. RTS Healthcare Services

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£36/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    More details (RTS Healthcare Services)

The full list: 31 agencies covering Bishop's Stortford →

Respite care in Bishop's Stortford: common questions

Which home care agencies offer respite care in Bishop's Stortford?

31 agencies on the CQC register have an office within 7 miles of Bishop's Stortford, and 16 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 Hertfordshire 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.

How are agencies covering Bishop's Stortford rated?

Of 18 agencies with a CQC rating, 16 (89%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 28, and 6 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.

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Source for provider details: CQC, Oct 2026 (Open Government Licence v3.0). The Care Panel is a comparison site, not a care company.

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