UK charities offering free breaks to unpaid carers in hotel rooms and vacant holiday homes

Charities giving free breaks to unpaid carers across the UK, arranging well-deserved breaks in vacant hotel rooms and their own accommodation Survey found 72% of carers did not take a break during the pandemic. Non-profit organization Carefree works with 130 hotels to arrange staycationsOther charities, such as After Umbrage, have their own holiday accommodation

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< p class="byline-section"> Posted: 1pm BST, 14 Jul 2022 | Updated: 13:29 BST, 14 July 2022

Lyrics to Madonna's 1980s hit Holiday - "Just a day out of life / This would be so nice" - may not be the most profound, but will resonate with many of the UK's 10.5 million unpaid carers, many of whom provide care all day, every day .

Carers UK, a charity whose annual surveys provide startling insight into the lives of Britain's unofficial carers, said in its State Of Caring report 2021 that 72% of respondents had not taken a break during the pandemic.

While it might be convenient to blame Covid, it's a long-standing issue: in 2017, the charity reported that 25% of respondents had not had a day off in five years.

So it's great news that there is help available.

Carefree is a non-profit organization that ensures that vacant rooms in over 130 hotels are offered free of charge to caregivers and one more one in B&Bs for up to three nights, while cottages can be booked for four to seven nights (carefreespace.org).

Other charities have their own holiday accommodation.

After Umbrage is offering up to four free nights at Kingham Cottage, Bath, for...