Hospice Respite Care: Short Stays, Day Services and Home Nurses

In short: Hospice respite care can mean a planned short stay, day sessions or nurse visits at home, and the NHS states that not all hospices offer respite (as at November 2026). Hospice care is free to patients, and you can start by asking your GP, district nurse or local hospice. What is on offer depends on where you live.

What hospice respite care is

Hospice respite care is support that gives a carer a break, or helps the person you care for with symptoms, while they are looked after by hospice staff. The NHS states that respite care gives family or carers a short break while the person is looked after at the hospice. Marie Curie describes the same idea: a short stay so that the people close to you or your carers can have a break from looking after you.

Hospice respite care is not one fixed service. It can take the form of a short inpatient stay, a day session, or nurses and healthcare assistants visiting at home. Hospices decide what they can offer, so the options differ from one area to the next.

It is aimed at people with a terminal illness or a life-limiting condition, and at the people caring for them. If the person you care for does not have that kind of diagnosis, our guide to respite care explained covers the wider options for carer breaks.

If you are wondering whether respite at a hospice is only for people near the end of life, the sources say otherwise. The NHS states that hospice care is not only for people who are dying, that it does not have to be continuous, and that people may have several separate periods of care. Hospice respite care can therefore be used for a short time and then stopped, with the option to ask again later if needs change.

Planned short stays for symptom control or a carer break

A hospice can offer a planned short stay, usually lasting a few days or weeks, either to bring difficult symptoms under control or to give a carer a rest. Hospices are often described as a place where people can go for a short time to help get difficult to manage symptoms under control, and says patients can also go in for a short time to give a carer a break. Marie Curie says inpatient stays can last a few days or weeks while specialist care is needed, after which the person can go home and return later if needed.

It helps to know that a stay for symptom control and a stay for a carer break are not always the same thing. Some stays are mainly medical, for example to review pain or breathlessness. Others are mainly to give the family time to rest. Many are a mixture. When you ask, say which of these you need, as this affects how the hospice plans the stay.

Places are limited. Marie Curie says that if no bed is free you may be offered day sessions or a waiting list, or your GP or district nurse can suggest other support. Some care homes have palliative care beds, which may be an option. Our guide to respite stays in care homes explains that route.

During a stay, hospice staff look after the person’s medical, nursing and personal care needs, and care is tailored to them. Most hospices offer medical and nursing care, including pain and symptom management, and some also offer therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Carers are often welcome to visit, and some hospices also offer support for family members, so ask what is available to you during the stay.

Hospice day care and day services

Hospice day care lets the person visit a hospice during the day and go home in the evening. The NHS describes people attending as day patients, and Marie Curie says you can visit without staying overnight.

Marie Curie lists support groups, exercise programmes, art or music therapy, complementary therapies, counselling and spiritual support as examples of what day sessions can include. Exact sessions vary by hospice, and the sources do not give set hours or how often someone can attend, so ask your local hospice.

For a carer, hospice day care can mean a few hours free for rest, appointments or errands, while the person is in a supportive setting. It can also be a way to get to know the hospice team before any longer stay is needed.

Because hospice respite care by day is often built around group sessions or therapies, it may suit people who are well enough to travel. Ask about transport, as the sources do not say whether hospices provide it. Day sessions are one of the options Marie Curie says you may be offered if no inpatient bed is free.

Hospice at home service: in-home hospice nurses

A hospice at home service sends trained staff to the person’s home, and Marie Curie says its care is available day or night. The NHS and Hospice UK both say hospice nurses and healthcare assistants can visit people at home, and Hospice UK adds that occupational therapists can assess equipment and home adaptations.

Marie Curie describes its home nursing as nursing, personal care and emotional support, with symptom management and help planning care. It also supports the people close to the person. Its urgent hospice care at home is offered only in some areas.

The sources do not say that every hospice at home service provides a set number of hours for carer breaks. If your main need is time away from caring, ask the service directly what it can do. Our guide to hospice care at home gives more detail on how home support is arranged.

How to ask for hospice respite care

Start by speaking to your GP, district nurse or hospital team, or by contacting your local hospice directly. The NHS states that you can contact a hospice yourself, but the team will usually also ask for a referral from your doctor or nurse. Marie Curie says some hospices accept self-referral and others do not.

1. Find your nearest hospice. Ask your GP or district nurse, or use the Hospice UK care finder.
2. Say what you need. Explain whether you want a short stay, day sessions or nurse visits, and whether the aim is symptom control, a carer break or both.
3. Ask about availability. Ask whether the hospice offers respite, how long people wait and what the alternatives are.
4. Ask your GP or district nurse to refer. For hospice at home services, Marie Curie says referral comes through staff such as the hospital team, district nurse, care home staff or GP, who will discuss whether the service is right for you.

Hospice care is free to patients, according to the NHS and Marie Curie, but the sources do not mention charges for respite specifically, so confirm with the hospice that this covers the service you want. If you are looking at other forms of respite, such as a private care home stay, costs differ, so ask what applies.

What to bring to a hospice stay or day session

The hospice will tell you what to bring, and it is sensible to ask when the stay or session is booked. The sources we checked do not give a standard packing list, so the points below are general suggestions rather than hospice rules.

• a list of current medicines, and the medicines themselves if the hospice asks for them
• the GP’s name and contact details, and any hospital letters
• comfortable day and night clothes, slippers and toiletries
• glasses, hearing aids, dentures and mobility aids
• a few familiar items such as photographs, a blanket, books or music
• contact details for family and for whoever holds a lasting power of attorney, if one is in place

Tell the team about the person’s routines, likes and dislikes, and anything that helps them feel settled. Hospice care focuses on dignity, respect and the wishes of the person who is ill, so this information is useful.

How hospice respite care links to carers’ breaks and local availability

Hospice respite care is one way to get a carer’s break, but it sits alongside the council and charity routes rather than replacing them. The NHS describes respite care as taking a break from caring while the person you care for is looked after by someone else, and says councils fund respite only for people they have assessed as needing it. Carers are entitled to ask for a carer’s assessment, which is covered in our guide to carer’s assessment.

Hospice respite care is separate from that process. Hospice care is free, but a hospice may not have a free place when you need one. Councils, local carer centres and charities may be able to help with other breaks. See carers’ grants and breaks for options to ask about.

Availability varies. The NHS states that places are limited and that not all hospices offer respite. Marie Curie says its urgent home service is offered in some areas only. Hospice services and funding are organised separately in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check with your local hospice, GP or health board or trust. We have not verified nation-by-nation rules for this guide.

This is general information, not medical or legal advice. Speak to your GP, district nurse or the hospice team about what is right for your situation.

Frequently asked questions

Do all hospices offer respite care?

No. The NHS states that not all hospices offer respite care, and places are limited. Whether a hospice offers short stays, day sessions or home visits depends on the hospice and your area. Ask your GP, district nurse or local hospice what is available near you.

Can a hospice stay be used for a carer break?

Yes, in some hospices. Patients can go into a hospice for a short time to give a carer a break, and the NHS describes respite as a short break for family or carers while the person is looked after. Not every hospice offers this, so ask locally.

How long does a hospice short stay last?

Marie Curie says inpatient stays can last a few days or weeks while someone needs specialist care, after which they can go home and return later if needed. The sources do not give set limits for respite stays, so ask the hospice how long a stay might be.

What happens at hospice day care?

Marie Curie says you can visit during the day without staying overnight. Sessions can include support groups, exercise programmes, art or music therapy, complementary therapies, counselling and spiritual support. What is offered varies by hospice, so ask your local hospice for its timetable and who can attend.

Can hospice nurses visit at home?

Yes. The NHS and Hospice UK say hospice nurses and healthcare assistants can visit people at home. Marie Curie says its home care is available day or night, with urgent care at home in some areas only. Ask your district nurse or GP whether a service covers your area.

Is hospice respite care free?

The NHS states that hospice care is free, paid for through NHS funding and public donation, and Hospice UK says it is free for patients, carers and family members. Other kinds of respite, such as a private care home stay, may be charged, so check each service.

Do I need a referral for hospice respite?

Usually your GP, district nurse or hospital team refers you. The NHS says you can contact a hospice yourself, but the team will normally also ask for a referral from your doctor or nurse. Marie Curie says some hospices accept self-referral and others do not.

What if the hospice has no free place?

Marie Curie says you may be offered day sessions or a waiting list, or your GP or district nurse can suggest other support. Some care homes have palliative care beds. You can also ask the council about a carer’s assessment and other ways to arrange a break.

Official sources

• NHS: Hospice care
• NHS: Carer breaks and respite care
• Marie Curie: Hospice care
• Marie Curie: Nursing services
• Hospice UK: What services are on offer

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Emergency respite care · Council respite care · Palliative care at home

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.