Home care · Kent
Respite care in Marden
From a weekly sitting service at home to a week or two in a care home, respite care is temporary cover that lets family carers rest. Compare the 28 CQC-registered agencies covering Marden and ask which of them provide it.
Agencies from the CQC register, updated 27 October 2026. Prices: Typical 2026 prices across England
Key points
- 28 CQC-registered home care agencies have an office within 7 miles of Marden; 15 are rated Good or Outstanding.
- At home, respite is usually billed at the normal visiting rate, about around £32–£34 an hour.
- Ask each agency about respite care; the CQC register has no record of who provides it.
- Kent council must offer a free care needs assessment, and a separate carer's assessment for the person who looks after them.
Cite this: The Care Panel, "Respite care in Marden", analysis of the CQC register, Oct 2026.
Kinds of respite care
At home: a carer visits for a few hours so you can go out, or stays for a few days or weeks (live-in respite) while you go away. In a care home: a short stay of a week or two, often booked well ahead for holidays. Day centres run by the council or charities are another option.
Your right to a carer's assessment
- Who: anyone caring for someone else.
- From: Kent council, free, separate from the cared-for person's assessment.
- Looks at: how caring affects you.
- Can lead to: breaks the council pays for, a personal budget for carers, or other support.
Carers UK helpline (free): 0808 808 7777.
Requesting an assessment from Kent council.
Booking respite privately
If you pay yourself, ask agencies for their minimum visit length and notice period, and care homes whether they keep rooms for short stays. For a care home, arrange a visit beforehand and share the care plan, medication list and routines so the stay goes smoothly.
Marden's agencies in figures
7% of agencies covering Marden have a CQC rating from the last two years, against 9% across Kent. Compare Marden's 83% Good or Outstanding with 80% for the rated agencies among the 831 we list in Kent. Of Marden and the 6 nearest towns we cover, Marden ranks 3rd for the share of all listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding (54%); Staplehurst is highest at 56%. Kent has 11 Outstanding agencies in total; covering Marden the figure is 3. One rating goes back to July 2017: Phoenix Support Ltd. Ask what has changed since. In Marden, 86% of agencies support people with dementia (24 of 28); the Kent figure is 77%. Registered specialisms here: 26 of 28 list physical disabilities, 11 of 28 list learning disabilities and 18 of 28 list mental health conditions. CQC registered Lakrizz Care Maidstone in June 2026, the newest on this list.
How much respite care costs in Marden
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
|---|---|
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,555 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,830 a week |
Council rates in Kent County Council: £28.05 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,186.81 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,378 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. According to the Homecare Association, councils across England should pay no less than £34.42 an hour for home care in 2026/27 if it is to be sustainable. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?
Home care agencies that cover Marden
Ranked on CQC rating, its date and then distance. Ask each one about respite care.
Hilton Nursing Partners Limited
Est. £32–£39/hr
Open Doors Healthcare Services Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Independent Care Solutions T/A Agacia Care Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Avengers Prime Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
Elizabeths Rose Home Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
Glorycrown Healthcare Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Homecare Unique Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
A Rated Homecare Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Home Instead Senior Care (Maidstone)
Est. £34–£42/hr
Hale Place Farmhouse
Est. £32–£39/hr
Swanton Community Services – Kent
Est. £30–£37/hr
Expertise Homecare (Central & West Kent) Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Crossroads Care Kent
Est. £30–£37/hr
Phoenix Support Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Vibrant Homecare Maidstone
Est. £30–£37/hr
Kent Social Care Professionals Domiciliary Service
Est. £30–£37/hr
Kent PBS Service
Est. £30–£37/hr
LOD Care and Case Management Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
All Loving Support (Maidstone)
Est. £29–£36/hr
What families ask about respite care in Marden
Where can I find respite care in Marden?
Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides respite care. Of the 28 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Marden, 15 are rated Good or Outstanding.
Is respite care ever free?
Sometimes. Ask Kent 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 Marden well rated?
15 of the 18 rated agencies (83%) are Good or Outstanding; 24 list dementia as a specialism and 2 were inspected or rated in the last two years.
Need respite care in Marden?
One short form: featured partners and a maximum of three rated agencies working with us will contact you directly by email.
More about care in Marden
Nearby towns for respite care
- Respite care in Staplehurst 2.6 mi
- Respite care in Paddock Wood 4.4 mi
- Respite care in Maidstone 6.7 mi
- Respite care in Kings Hill 7.9 mi
- Respite care in Tonbridge 9.5 mi
- Respite care in Royal Tunbridge Wells 10.0 mi
- Respite care in Snodland 11.1 mi
- Respite care in Chatham 12.9 mi
Provider details from the Care Quality Commission register, updated Oct 2026. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is not a care provider.