Can I use a Home Care Package to arrange emergency or overnight respite?
Support at Home can fund planned overnight respite when it is approved and affordable within the budget. For a sudden breakdown in unpaid care, call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 for emergency respite options. Residential respite is a separate aged care service with its own approval and annual day limit.
Key points
- Ask for details in writing and compare more than one option where possible.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
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01Guide sectionCan I use a Home Care Package or Support at Home funding for emergency or overnight respite?
Yes. Support at Home can pay for approved respite care, including some overnight arrangements, where respite is included in your support plan and sufficient funding is available.
Home Care Packages were replaced by Support at Home on 1 November 2025, so new respite arrangements are now generally made under Support at Home.
02Guide sectionWhat respite can Support at Home fund?
Depending on your assessed needs, respite may include:
a worker staying with you at home while your regular carer takes a break
daytime or evening respite
overnight respite in your home
respite in a community or cottage setting
accompanied activities outside the home
short periods of care when your usual family carer is unavailable.
Home and community respite may be provided during the day or overnight.
The provider must confirm:
respite is approved in your support plan
the proposed arrangement is appropriate and safe
suitable workers are available
the price fits within your available budget
any personal contribution has been explained.
03Guide sectionWhat does overnight respite involve?
Overnight arrangements can differ considerably.
Sleepover respite
A worker remains in the home overnight and is generally able to sleep, but can respond if occasional help is needed.
Active overnight respite
The worker remains awake because regular supervision or assistance is expected throughout the night.
Community or cottage respite
The person stays overnight in an approved community-based setting rather than remaining at home.
Active overnight care usually costs substantially more than a sleepover because the worker is being paid to remain awake and actively provide support.
Before agreeing, ask:
whether the worker will be awake or sleeping
how many times they can reasonably be expected to assist
whether personal care or medication support is included
whether a second worker is required for transfers
what happens if the person becomes unwell
the complete overnight price
how much will be charged to the Support at Home budget
what participant contribution will apply.
04Guide sectionWill I have to contribute towards the cost?
Respite is generally an independence service under Support at Home.
This means a participant contribution may apply based on the person’s income, assets and pension status.
The provider should show:
the full agreed respite price
the participant contribution
the amount paid from government funding
how the booking will affect the remaining quarterly budget.
An overnight booking can use a significant portion of a smaller Support at Home budget, so request a written budget calculation first.
05Guide sectionCan my provider arrange emergency respite?
Your provider may be able to arrange urgent replacement or respite support if it has suitable workers available, but Support at Home is not a guaranteed same-day emergency service.
If a family carer suddenly becomes unable to provide care-for example, because they are ill, injured or hospitalised-contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.
Carer Gateway can discuss emergency respite options and arrange care where suitable services are available. Emergency respite may occur:
in the person’s home
in the community
in an aged care home.
Availability depends on the person’s needs and local services.
06Practical actionIs emergency respite paid from my Support at Home budget?
Not necessarily.
Emergency respite arranged through Carer Gateway is a separate carer-support pathway and is not simply an automatic withdrawal from the person’s Support at Home budget.
Carer Gateway will assess the circumstances and explain what assistance may be available.
If the need is foreseeable-such as a planned operation, family holiday or regular carer break-it is better to arrange respite in advance through the Support at Home provider rather than rely on emergency assistance.
07Guide sectionWhat about temporary respite in an aged care home?
Residential respite is funded separately from the ordinary Support at Home budget.
A person normally needs approval for residential respite through an aged care assessment. Eligible people can generally receive up to 63 subsidised residential respite days per financial year, with possible extensions approved by an assessor.
A person can temporarily pause some Support at Home services while receiving residential respite. Their provider should cancel unnecessary visits and help plan the return home.
08Guide sectionPlan before a crisis occurs
If an unpaid carer provides essential daily support, ask the care partner to create a written emergency plan covering:
who to call if the carer becomes unavailable
the person’s medication and personal-care needs
preferred replacement workers
mobility and transfer requirements
dementia or communication needs
emergency contacts
whether overnight or residential respite would be suitable
where important documents and care instructions are kept.
09Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Confirm the details with My Aged Care or the relevant provider, write down your questions and ask for important information in writing before making a decision.
10Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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