Holidays & breaks
Affordable Holidays, Carer Breaks & Respite
Free holidays, funded breaks, grants towards a getaway and low-cost stays, for SEND families and unpaid carers across the UK.
Please read this first
Every scheme here is run by the organisation named — none of them are run by, or connected to, SENDBridge, and we cannot apply for you or speed up a decision. Funding is limited and criteria change, so always check the official website before you apply.
Free holidayLow-cost breakGrant fundingPaid stay
Free and funded holidays
Time Away
Free holidayWhole family respite breaks for families caring for a sick or disabled child.
- Accommodation
- Self-catering holiday homes donated by their owners, with separate sets of homes for children under 5 and children aged 5 and over.
- Who can apply
- Families caring for a child under 18 who receives higher rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Child Disability Payment (CDP in Scotland). An in-date award letter is needed.
- Cost
- Free. Nobody pays anything — the accommodation is donated.
- Accessibility
- Adapted breaks are available for families who need them, including homes with level access, hoists and wet rooms. Tell them what you need when you apply.
- How to apply
- Answer three quick questions on their website to check you qualify, then apply online — it takes about ten minutes. You can then browse the donated homes and apply for the dates that work for you.
- Referral needed
- No — you apply directly. Your in-date higher rate DLA, PIP or CDP award letter is your proof.
After Umbrage
Free holidayFree four-day cottage breaks for carers, and during the first year of bereavement.
- Accommodation
- Their own two-bedroom self-catering cottages in peaceful surroundings near Bath — one double and one twin room, sleeping up to four. Fresh linen and milk on arrival, and small dogs are welcome.
- Who can apply
- Carers looking after a loved one with a life-limiting or terminal condition, and carers in their first year of bereavement. The whole family is welcome, because caring affects everyone.
- Cost
- Free. Carers are offered two stays of four days each, plus one stay during the first year of bereavement.
- Accessibility
- Not set out on their website — speak to them before you book if anyone in your family has access needs.
- How to apply
- Download the referral form from their website, take it to a carer support organisation to authorise, then post it to them. They will be in touch to book your stay.
- Referral needed
- Yes — a carer support organisation, such as a hospice, GP surgery or carers charity, has to verify that you are a carer.
Family Holiday Charity
Funded holidayFunded UK holidays and day trips for families who could not otherwise get away.
- Accommodation
- Self-catered caravans, lodges and cottages across the UK, booked through their travel partner Inspire Travel. Usually up to four nights, with a contribution towards travel and food. Their Gifted Breaks programme also passes on holidays donated by travel partners.
- Who can apply
- All three of these must apply: household income under £24,000 (not counting non-means-tested benefits), the family has not had a holiday together in the last four years, and at least one child under 18 is going on the holiday. They are not able to make exceptions.
- Cost
- Free — the accommodation is funded. You may still need to pay for food, travel, activities and any security deposit.
- Accessibility
- Your access needs and special requests are talked through when the holiday is booked with their travel partner.
- How to apply
- Someone who works with your family applies for you. They register as a referrer on the charity's website first, then submit the application. Applications stay active for up to 12 months, and funding is not guaranteed.
- Referral needed
- Yes — a referrer from a registered charity or statutory service, such as a family support worker, social worker, health visitor or teacher, applies on your behalf.
Grants towards a break
Family Fund is already listed on SENDBridge in the Resource Library and the SEND Directory. Its holiday grant is included here alongside the others so you can compare them in one place.
Revitalise
Grant fundingA national charity giving respite grants to disabled adults and their family carers.
- Accommodation
- You choose where you go, in the UK or abroad, and they fund it. Their own respite centres closed in 2024, so this is funding rather than their own accommodation, and they can signpost you to UK providers they know of.
- Who can apply
- Disabled people and carers aged 18 and over. If a disabled person and their carer want to go away together, they will consider funding both.
- Cost
- Grants, not free holidays. A typical grant is £500 per person. They also fund up to £100 for respite in the home, up to £100 for a day trip, up to £100 for day activities and up to £100 for social connection.
- Accessibility
- You choose accommodation that suits you, and they can signpost you to UK providers.
- How to apply
- Apply online, by post with their paper form, or over the phone on one of their monthly phone-application days. Applications are open all year, but there is a monthly cap on how many grants they can give, so apply early.
- Referral needed
- No — you apply directly.
The 3H Foundation
Grant fundingHoliday grants, subsidised group holidays and respite for people with disabilities, their families and carers.
- Accommodation
- Holiday grants towards UK holidays for people with disabilities and their families, and grants for carers to have a period of respite. They also run subsidised group holidays and activity holidays.
- Who can apply
- Families with a disabled family member, adults with disabilities, young people aged 13 to 25 with disabilities, and adult and young carers.
- Cost
- Grants towards the cost of a holiday, and subsidised places on their own group holidays. Their carer programme includes respite hampers and spa days.
- Accessibility
- Contact them to talk through access needs before you apply.
- How to apply
- Apply through the relevant programme on their website. Holiday grant applications open at set times of the year, so check the site for the current window.
- Referral needed
- No — you apply directly to them.
Family Fund
Grant fundingGrants towards a family break, for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child.
- Accommodation
- Family break grants with their partners: Inspire, for UK and overseas breaks including cottages, camping and holiday parks; Haven holiday parks; and Butlin's resorts at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness.
- Who can apply
- Families raising a disabled or seriously ill child — use their eligibility checker. The booking must include the main carer and the child you applied for, and you can add other family members and carers.
- Cost
- A grant towards the cost of the break, not a free holiday. You cannot apply for a break you have already booked, and grants must be booked within six months of being issued, although you can travel later.
- Accessibility
- Their partners specialise in breaks for families with disabled children, and can talk through your family's needs when you book.
- How to apply
- Apply online through Family Fund. In England, if the grant comes through the Support for Families with Disabled Children programme, the break must be taken when your child is not required to be at school.
- Referral needed
- No — you apply directly.
Low-cost and subsidised breaks
Carefree
Low-cost breakLow-cost hotel breaks for unpaid carers, made possible by hotels donating rooms.
- Accommodation
- A one or two night hotel stay at hundreds of hotels across the UK, most with a double or twin room and breakfast included.
- Who can apply
- You must be over 18 and provide more than 30 hours of unpaid care a week.
- Cost
- A £38 admin fee per break, plus your own travel and expenses. You can take two breaks a year — one between January and June, and one between July and December.
- Accessibility
- You choose the hotel and dates from what is available, so you can look for somewhere that suits you.
- How to apply
- Sign up with proof of identity and your caring status, then browse the breaks on offer and submit a request. Hotels confirm within two working days, and once accepted your booking is guaranteed.
- Referral needed
- No — you register yourself. You can nominate a referee to confirm your caring role instead of uploading documents.
Paid stays with carer concessions
Aqua Sana Forest Spa, Woburn Forest
Paid, carer freeCenter Parcs' spa at Woburn Forest, where a carer assisting a disabled guest gets in free.
- Accommodation
- Spa days and spa breaks at Aqua Sana Forest Spa, Woburn Forest. This is a paid booking rather than a charity scheme, but the carer's spa entry is free.
- Who can apply
- Guests who need assistance to use the spa experiences. If you require assistance, your carer may enter the spa at no additional cost.
- Cost
- You pay for your own spa package. The carer's entry is free, but if your package includes food or refreshments there is an extra charge for the carer, payable in advance when you book.
- Accessibility
- Accessible changing with adapted WC, shower, basin and lockers, plus a fully equipped changing place with a hoist in the Plaza next door. There is an Oxford Dipper pool hoist (maximum 140kg), a guest lift between floors, an accessible treatment room, and Center Parcs wheelchairs on free loan for the hot Experience Rooms. Some Experience Rooms have limited space, so ask before you book.
- How to apply
- Book your spa day or break and tell them at the time of booking that you need assistance and that a carer will be coming with you. Ask about the free carer entry, any refreshment charge, wheelchair loan and the changing place.
- Referral needed
- No — but the carer's free entry has to be arranged with Aqua Sana when you book.
Looking for more options?
The Sandcastle Trust keeps a long list of UK charities that offer holidays, lodges, caravans and short breaks for families and carers, which is a good place to look next.
Charities providing holidays and short breaks — Sandcastle TrustChecked against official sources
Everything on this page comes from the organisation's own website. It was last checked on 16 October 2026. Prices, funding and criteria do change, so please confirm on the official site before you rely on them.