The short answer
- Yes, and there's no minimum lengthA live-in placement can be arranged for a fixed period from the outset, most often a week or two, with no ongoing contract to end afterwards.
- Four situations cover most temporary bookingsRecovering after a hospital stay or an operation, giving the usual carer a break, covering a short gap, or trying live-in care before deciding on it long term.
- 48 hours' notice ends it in the first weekThat moves to 7 days once a carer has worked 168 hours, so most short placements can be ended on two days' notice from either side.
- The weekly rate doesn't rise for a short stayA temporary placement costs the same £1,050 to £1,400 a week as an ongoing one, with our fee included.
Figures are what families pay on PrimeCarers, with our fee included; each carer sets their own rate within that range.
The short answer
Yes, and there's no minimum length to book
A live-in carer moves in for the period you agree from the start, so a temporary placement is simply one with an end date already in mind rather than a different kind of booking. Most families reach for it for one of four reasons.
A live-in carer stays in your relative's home and is there through the day and night, rather than visiting for set hours. Arranging one temporarily works the same way as arranging one for longer: you agree the dates, the tasks and the rate directly with the carer, and there is nothing that carries the placement on past the date you set.
Covering a short gap
Ending it on time
The notice period that makes a short booking easy to end
PrimeCarers does not set a minimum term for a live-in placement. What decides how easily you can end one is the notice period in the contract between you and the carer, and it changes once, after the first week.
For live-in care, either side can end the arrangement on 48 hours' notice until the carer has been present for 168 hours in total, which is about a week. After that point, the notice period moves to 7 days. Both figures apply only to visits already agreed, so neither side is committed to offering or accepting work beyond the notice period.
Days 1 to 7
Up to 168 hours worked
48 hours
notice to end it
Either side can end the placement on two days' notice. This covers almost any stay booked for a week or less, which is when most temporary placements finish.
From day 8 onwards
Once 168 hours have been worked
7 days
notice to end it
The notice period moves to a week. It applies only to visits already agreed between you and the carer, so it never obliges either side to offer or accept work beyond it.
Source: PrimeCarers contract, cancellation and notice terms, checked September 2026.
That threshold suits a temporary booking well. A placement arranged to run for a week or less can be ended on 48 hours' notice throughout it, and a longer temporary stay, say four to six weeks while a relative recovers, only needs a week's notice once it is under way. Agree the planned end date with the carer when you book, then confirm it again in writing a week or so before, so both of you expect the same end date.
How to arrange it
How to book a temporary carer for a fixed period
The steps are the same as booking any live-in carer, with two things worth doing at the start because this placement has an end date: agreeing that date in writing, and thinking ahead to how it will finish.
- 1
Set the exact dates and what is needed
Before you searchWrite down the start date, the planned end date, and the tasks involved, from personal care to medication to housework. This becomes the brief a carer quotes their rate against. - 2
Search and interview carers who are free for those dates
This weekSearch live-in carers by postcode and message the ones who can commit to the whole period. Every carer has completed an online interview and has had their identity, right to work and an enhanced DBS on the Update Service checked before they appear in search; qualifications, training and references sit on the carer's own profile rather than being checked by PrimeCarers, so ask about them directly. What qualities to look for and how to interview a live-in carer cover this in more depth. - 3
Put the dates, the rate and the notice period in writing
Before day oneConfirm the start date, the planned end date, the rate and what happens if either of you needs to end it early, by email or message before the carer arrives. This is what the notice period above is measured against. - 4
Plan how the placement will end
Before it endsAgree who holds keys, what happens to any medication left in the house, and whether the carer hands over to a family member, another carer, or nobody at all. If your relative needs longer than planned, most carers will agree to extend rather than you needing to start a new search.
What it costs
What a short live-in placement costs
A temporary placement is not priced differently from an ongoing one. The carer's weekly rate is the same whether the booking is for one week or considerably longer.
£1,050–£1,400 a week
What carers on PrimeCarers charge for a week of live-in care, with our fee included. There is no separate short-stay rate; a carer who charges the top of that range for an ongoing placement charges the same for a fortnight.
PrimeCarers rates, September 2026.
A traditional agency typically charges £1,120 to £1,750 a week for the same cover, and usually manages the whole placement rather than letting you choose or keep a particular carer. The weekly rate does not automatically include the carer's food or any driving: those are separate costs, only payable if you agree them with the carer in advance and in writing. The cost of live-in care covers the full breakdown, including what changes for more complex needs, and do live-in carers get paid for travel? sets out how driving is agreed separately.
Questions
Questions families ask about temporary live-in care
There is no fixed minimum, but most carers plan around a week or more to make a placement worth their while, since it usually means giving up other work for the period. If you need cover for only a few days, say so when you search, since not every carer will take a very short booking. How do I hire a live-in carer? covers the wider search process.
A client who cancels a booked visit normally pays for it in full, except for unplanned hospitalisation, illness, or another reason the carer agrees to. A hospital readmission falls under that exception, so you would not be charged for visits that no longer go ahead. Tell the carer as soon as you know, since they may need to fill the freed time elsewhere.
Yes, if the carer is free to continue. Most carers agree an extension directly rather than starting a new booking, so ask as early as you can once it looks like more time will be needed. If the carer cannot stay on, search again for the extra period in good time rather than waiting until the planned end date.
No. Carers on PrimeCarers charge the same weekly rate, £1,050 to £1,400 with our fee included, whether the placement runs for a week or considerably longer. The cost of live-in care sets out what that rate typically covers.
They overlap but are not identical. Respite care specifically means giving a family member or another carer a planned break, and can sometimes be arranged through the council. Temporary live-in care is the wider term for any fixed-period placement, including recovery after hospital or a trial before an ongoing arrangement. What is respite care? covers the funded route in more detail.