Home care · Kent
Respite care in Minster
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. 28 agencies registered with CQC cover Minster. Check with each one that it provides this kind of care.
Updated 27 October 2026 (CQC register) · Prices: Prices typically seen across England in 2026
Quick summary
- 28 CQC-registered home care agencies have an office within 7 miles of Minster; 11 are rated Good or Outstanding.
- Expect the visiting rate, typically around £32–£34 an hour, for respite at home. The 9 local care homes charge short stays by the week.
- The CQC register does not say who provides respite care: ask the agencies directly.
- Ask Kent council for a care needs assessment, which is free, and the person caring for them can have their own carer's assessment.
Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Respite care in Minster", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.
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. Ask the 9 registered care homes in Minster whether they take short stays. Day centres run by the council or charities are another option.
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.
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.
What the register shows for Minster
Compare Minster's 69% Good or Outstanding with 80% for the rated agencies among the 831 we list in Kent. 11% of agencies covering Minster have a CQC rating from the last two years, against 9% across Kent. Outstanding: 0 covering Minster, 11 across Kent. Faversham has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (65%); Minster, at 39%, is 4th of the 7 towns compared. The share registered for dementia is 79% in Minster (22 of 28) and 77% across Kent. Oldest rating on the list: Kent Enablement at Home, June 2018. Most recent to register: Hallmark Care & Support Limited (March 2026). On their CQC registrations, 21 of 28 list physical disabilities, 14 of 28 list learning disabilities and 14 of 28 list mental health conditions.
What respite care costs in Minster
| 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).
The gap between agencies is bigger than the gap between regions. Ask for prices in writing, and check what weekends and bank holidays cost. 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. Check what you would pay · Weekly cost calculator
Home care agencies serving Minster
Check with each agency that it offers respite care. Order: CQC rating, then how recent, then distance.
Oaks Care Holdings LTD
Est. £30–£37/hr
Wurel House
Est. £30–£37/hr
Simplex Healthcare Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Welcome Home
Est. £30–£37/hr
River Stone (UK) Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Jasper Conrad Group Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Care2Victory Services Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Blossoms Care Services Ltd DCA
Est. £30–£37/hr
Norwyn Community Services
Est. £30–£37/hr
Kent Enablement at Home
Est. £30–£37/hr
Cartref Homes Supported Living Scheme
Est. £30–£37/hr
Share the Care Limited Office
Est. £30–£37/hr
St. Helens House
Est. £30–£37/hr
ApproCare
Est. £30–£37/hr
Krystal Solutions Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Boldglen Limited Medway Swale
Est. £30–£37/hr
Pensal Healthcare
Est. £29–£36/hr
Neptune Solutions UK Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
Averley Qwara Healthcare Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
Extended Caring Limited
Est. £29–£36/hr
Questions about respite care in Minster
Which home care agencies offer respite care in Minster?
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 Minster, 11 are rated Good or Outstanding.
Is there free respite care?
Free or low-cost sitting services are run by charities and carers' centres. The council can also arrange or fund breaks when a carer's assessment, which you request from Kent council, shows you are eligible.
When should we book a respite stay in a care home?
Several weeks if you can, and longer for school holidays. Not every home keeps rooms for short stays, so ask when you first call.
How are agencies covering Minster rated?
Of 16 agencies with a CQC rating, 11 (69%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 22, and 3 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.
Arranging respite care in Minster?
Tell us what's needed once. Featured partners and up to three rated agencies that take enquiries through us reply to you directly, by email.
Care options in Minster
Respite care in nearby towns
- Respite care in Sheerness 2.3 mi
- Respite care in Sittingbourne 6.0 mi
- Respite care in Faversham 8.0 mi
- Respite care in Rainham, Kent 9.2 mi
- Respite care in Southend-on-Sea 10.0 mi
- Respite care in Gillingham 10.3 mi
- Respite care in Whitstable 10.9 mi
- Respite care in Canvey Island 11.8 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.