Respite Care in Caversham: Costs, Funding and 110 Local Agencies (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. There are 9 CQC-registered care homes in Caversham; ask which take short stays. 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: Reading 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.

How to ask Reading council for an assessment.

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.

Caversham's agencies in figures

Dementia appears on 84 of 110 registrations here (76%), compared with 77% in Reading as a whole. Registered specialisms here: 92 of 110 list physical disabilities, 57 of 110 list learning disabilities and 54 of 110 list mental health conditions. Norton Nurses Second Office is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in May 2026. Compare Caversham's 85% Good or Outstanding with 85% for the rated agencies among the 132 we list in Reading. Reading has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (52%); Caversham, at 50%, is 3rd of the 7 towns compared. New Support Solutions has the oldest rating still in force, from September 2017.

Paying for respite care in Caversham: typical prices

Prices typically seen across England in 2026
Visiting care	around £32–£34 an hour
Live-in care	around £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home	£1,450 a week
Nursing home	£1,695 a week

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. Work out a weekly cost · What would we pay?

What families ask about respite care in Caversham

Which home care agencies offer respite care in Caversham?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides respite care. Of the 110 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Caversham, 55 are rated Good or Outstanding.

Can I get respite care for free?

It can be. If a carer's assessment from Reading council finds you eligible, the council may arrange or pay for breaks, and carers' centres and charities run sitting services that are free or cheap.

How early do care homes need respite bookings?

Book weeks in advance, further ahead for school holidays, and check first that the home offers short stays at all.

How are agencies covering Caversham rated?

Of 65 agencies with a CQC rating, 55 (85%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 84, and 8 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.

Looking for respite care in Caversham?

Fill in a single request; up to 3 agencies that accept our enquiries reply straight to your inbox.

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Other care in Caversham

Respite care around Caversham

Respite care in Reading 2.1 mi
Respite care in Woodley 3.4 mi
Respite care in Twyford 4.4 mi
Respite care in Henley-on-Thames 4.6 mi
Respite care in Wokingham 6.8 mi
Respite care in Burghfield Common 6.8 mi
Respite care in Arborfield Garrison 7.2 mi
Respite care in Bracknell 10.3 mi

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Data: CQC register, Oct 2026, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We are an independent directory and do not provide care.

Respite care in Caversham