What is respite and Short Term Accommodation?
Respite is time apart from a participant's usual care arrangements, so the people who normally support them can take a short break. It is sometimes a few hours, sometimes an overnight stay or a stretch of a few days. The idea is simple: when carers get a real rest, they can keep supporting the person they love for the long run, and the participant often enjoys a change of routine, new faces and new activities along the way.
If you have heard the term "Short Term Accommodation" or "STA", you are in the right place. In October 2025 the NDIS renamed this support "Short Term Respite (STR)". The support itself is the same; the name was updated to make clear that it is about giving carers a break, not a holiday. We use both names on this page so you can find what you need, whichever term your plan or your support coordinator uses.
What does respite usually include?
Respite is built around the participant, so no two stays look exactly the same. Depending on the plan, it can bring together a place to stay for the agreed period with the everyday comforts of home; personal care and support during the stay, including overnight support where that is needed; help to join in social and community activities, so the time feels meaningful rather than just minded; and support that keeps familiar routines going, so the change feels manageable.
In some group respite settings, the accommodation, meals, activities and support are bundled together into a single daily arrangement. In one-to-one respite, support is shaped much more closely around the individual. We will always talk you through what a particular option does and does not include before anything is booked.
What respite is not: it is not a holiday
This is an important one, and the NDIS is clear about it. Respite and Short Term Respite are not holiday packages. They do not cover flights, cruises, overseas trips, tours, or tickets to entertainment and events. The October 2025 update tightened this specifically, so it is worth being upfront: respite funding is there to give carers a break and to keep good care going, not to fund a getaway.
That does not mean respite has to be dull. A stay can absolutely include going out, trying new activities and enjoying the local area. The line is about the purpose of the support, a genuine break for carers, rather than a travel or leisure trip.
How many days of respite can someone get?
This is set by the NDIA, not by Horizons, and it depends on the individual's situation. As a general NDIS position, most eligible participants receive funding for up to 28 days of respite per year, with a maximum of around 14 days at any one time. Those days can be used as a single block or spread out across the year, for example a regular weekend here and there.
Please treat these numbers as the general rule rather than a promise. The NDIA assesses what is reasonable and necessary for each person, so the right way to confirm your own days is to check your plan or ask your support coordinator or plan manager. We are always happy to help you think it through.
Who can usually access respite?
Respite is generally aimed at participants who rely on informal supports day to day, and whose carers need a break to keep going. As a general guide, the NDIA may consider respite where the participant lives with their primary informal supports, or receives daily drop-in support from people they live with, or receives disability-related support from their primary informal support for more than six hours a day.
These are general indicators, not a checklist that guarantees funding. Every plan is different, and the NDIA decides eligibility based on what is reasonable and necessary for that person. If you are not sure whether respite fits your situation, the simplest next step is a friendly chat with us or with your support coordinator.
How is respite funded?
Respite and Short Term Respite are funded from a participant's Core Supports budget. Core Supports are generally flexible, which is part of why respite can often be arranged to suit real life, a planned block during a busy period, or shorter breaks across the year. We do not set NDIS prices and we cannot quote a per-night figure here; what a stay involves and how it is funded is best confirmed against your own plan with your plan manager or support coordinator.
How is respite different from SIL and MTA?
These supports are easy to mix up, so here is the plain-English difference. Respite / Short Term Respite (formerly STA) is about short breaks. It gives carers a rest while the participant is well supported, generally up to 28 days a year. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is ongoing, long-term support with daily tasks in the place a person lives. It is about everyday living over the long run, not a short break. Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) is temporary housing, usually up to around 90 days, for someone who is waiting for a confirmed long-term home to become available.
If you are weighing up which one fits, we are happy to talk it through and point you to the right people to confirm it.
How Horizons supports respite in Brisbane
Horizons Support Network is a Brisbane-based, person-first team. When we support respite, our focus is on making the break feel safe and calm for the participant and genuinely restful for the carer. We take time to understand routines, preferences and the things that help a person feel settled, so the change of pace feels manageable rather than unsettling. Where overnight support is needed, we plan it carefully and keep communication clear, so families can step back and actually rest.
We work across Brisbane and surrounding suburbs, and we are glad to coordinate with your support coordinator, plan manager and allied health team so respite fits neatly alongside the rest of your supports.
