Respite Care in Epsom: Costs, Funding and 231 Local Agencies (Oct 2026)

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. Of the 8 CQC-registered care homes in Epsom, ask which accept short stays. Or there are day centres run by charities or the council.

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 Surrey 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. Getting assessed by Surrey 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.

What the register shows for Epsom

Across Surrey we list 1,090 agencies, and 91% of those rated are Good or Outstanding; covering Epsom the figure is 96%. Across Surrey, 23% of agencies have a rating under two years old; covering Epsom it is 29%. 9 are rated Outstanding here, out of 16 across Surrey. Ranked against the 6 closest towns on our site by the share of every listed agency that is rated Good or Outstanding, Epsom comes 3rd of 7 (74%), with Worcester Park top at 100%. 196 of the 231 agencies (85%) list dementia as a specialism, against 84% across Surrey. The oldest current rating dates from June 2018 (AM2PM Quality Care Limited). The newest registration is Olive Branch Care and Support Ltd, registered with CQC in September 2026. On their CQC registrations, 197 of 231 list physical disabilities, 131 of 231 list learning disabilities and 144 of 231 list mental health conditions.

Respite care prices in Epsom

Typical 2026 prices across England
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

Surrey County Council's own rates: £24.87 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £952.38 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £988.04 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. 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. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?

Questions about respite care in Epsom

Who provides respite care in Epsom?

231 agencies on the CQC register have an office within 7 miles of Epsom, and 171 hold a Good or Outstanding rating. Which of them provide respite care is not recorded by CQC: ask them.

Can respite care be paid for by the council?

Start with a carer's assessment from Surrey council: eligible carers can have breaks arranged or funded. Separately, look for sitting services from carers' centres and charities that are free or cheap.

How far ahead should we book respite in a care home?

Give several weeks where possible, more around school holidays. Ask on the first call whether the home holds rooms back for short stays, as not all do.

How good are home care agencies around Epsom?

96% Good or Outstanding (171 of 178 rated). 70 were inspected or rated within two years, and 196 are registered for dementia.

Respite care in Epsom: ask who can help

Describe what's needed in one form, and as many as three agencies that accept enquiries via The Care Panel email you back.

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Related care pages for Epsom

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Built from the Care Quality Commission's register (Oct 2026) under Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel lists and compares services but runs none.

Respite care in Epsom