Respite care in Australia

The five types

Residential respite, and the cost surprise

A person can receive up to 63 days of subsidised residential respite in a financial year. An assessor can approve extensions of up to 21 days at a time, and each extension needs fresh approval.

The basic daily fee for residential respite is set at 85% of the single basic Age Pension, and it is the same fee that applies to permanent residential care. It is $68.93 a day from 20 September 2026. It is indexed every 20 March and 20 September, so check the current amount in the Department's schedule of fees and charges for residential care before you rely on it.

A provider may charge a booking fee. It is capped at the lower of one full week's fees or 25% of the fee for the whole stay, it is the only fee chargeable before entry, and it must be deducted from the daily fees on admission. It must be refunded in full if you cancel more than seven days before the stay, or if the person enters hospital or dies before the stay starts. If the person enters hospital or dies during the first seven days of the stay (or the first 25% of it, if that is shorter), the unused part of the fee must be refunded. Otherwise, check the refund terms in the agreement.

What changed for in home respite

From 1 November 2025, in home and community respite sits in the Independence category of the Support at Home service list.

That has a practical consequence worth understanding before you book. It comes out of the same quarterly budget as everything else, so using more respite leaves less budget for other services. You also contribute at the Independence rate for your means.

Residential respite is different. It sits on the separate 63 day entitlement and is not drawn from the Support at Home budget at all.

One useful detail: a Support at Home participant can keep receiving some services while in residential respite, as long as they do not duplicate what the home provides. Home maintenance and gardening can continue. Personal care cannot, because the home is already providing it.

What each type costs

Residential respite: the basic daily fee. Any booking fee is deducted from your daily fees once the stay starts.

Support at Home respite: your Independence category contribution rate, drawn from your quarterly budget.

CHSP respite: set by the individual provider. There is no national fee schedule, so ask each provider for its client contribution policy.

Carer Gateway planned respite: may be free as part of a tailored support package.

For emergency respite through Carer Gateway, ask about the arrangements rather than assuming it is free. The published position covers planned respite.

If you need help today

In an emergency, a person who has not been assessed may still be able to enter residential respite, and the aged care home can arrange an urgent assessment.

Which assessment you need

A home support assessment covers CHSP funded in home, centre based and cottage respite.

A comprehensive assessment covers Support at Home and residential respite.

Carer Gateway is a separate route for carers. In an emergency you can call 1800 422 737 at any time, and a local Carer Gateway service provider will talk through the options and book emergency respite where it is available.

Support for the carer, not just the person

Carer Gateway also provides counselling, coaching, peer support, tailored support packages and emergency care planning.

An emergency care plan sets out what happens if you suddenly cannot provide care.

Frequently asked