Pause & Holding Policy

Last updated: 26/02/2026

This policy explains how temporary interruptions to meal services (“breaks” and “pauses”) are handled within Alēra, and how chef availability is protected during these periods.

1. Purpose of This Policy

Alēra operates as a coordinated service involving independent chefs and nutritionists who reserve time, capacity, and planning availability for each client.

This policy exists to:

  • allow reasonable flexibility for travel and life events

  • protect chef availability and income

  • ensure fairness, clarity, and service continuity

  • prevent disruption caused by short-notice changes

2. Breaks vs Pauses

To keep things clear, Alēra distinguishes between short breaks, extended breaks, and pauses based on duration and operational impact.

Short Breaks (1–6 consecutive days)

Short breaks are brief interruptions to meal preparation and delivery.

  • Meals are not prepared or delivered

  • Your membership continues as normal

  • Nutritionist support remains available

  • Short breaks do not count toward your annual break/pause allowance

Short breaks are intended for:

  • weekends away

  • short trips

  • brief schedule changes

Short breaks are permitted within reason. Repeated or disruptive short breaks may be treated as an extended break or pause in substance.

Extended Breaks (7–14 consecutive days)

Once an absence reaches a full week, it is treated as an extended break due to its impact on chef scheduling.

  • Meals are not prepared or delivered

  • Your membership continues as normal

  • Nutritionist support remains available

  • Extended breaks count toward your annual break/pause allowance

Extended breaks are typically used for:

  • longer holidays

  • extended work travel

Pauses (15–28 consecutive days)

Pauses are longer, planned interruptions to the service.

  • Meals are not prepared or delivered

  • Chef shopping and cooking are paused

  • Your place within the Alēra system is held

  • Nutritionist support is available on a light-touch basis

Pauses:

  • must be requested via the Alēra platform

  • count toward your annual break/pause allowance

  • are subject to notice requirements and pause pricing

Pauses are typically used for extended travel or longer periods away.

3. Break & Pause Allowance

Each client is entitled to:

  • Unlimited short breaks (1–6 days), within reason

  • Up to three (3) extended breaks or pauses (7–28 days) per rolling 12-month period

Additional conditions:

  • A minimum of 28 consecutive days of active service must pass between extended breaks or pauses to apply for pause pricing

  • Breaks and pauses are not transferable or stackable

This structure ensures flexibility without compromising service continuity.

4. Pause Pricing

Pause pricing applies only to pauses of 7–28 consecutive days and only where sufficient notice is provided.

During an approved pause:

  • no meals are prepared or delivered

  • chef cooking and shopping are suspended

  • your place in the system is retained

If sufficient notice is not provided:

  • pause pricing does not apply

  • your membership continues at the full monthly rate

Pause pricing exists in two categories:
Pause pricing A - pauses between 7 and 14 days.
Pause pricing B - pauses between 15 and 28 days

Pause pricing is applied to the billing cycle following completion of the pause, once the total duration is confirmed.
Where a pause spans two billing periods, the first period remains at the standard membership price.

Pause pricing can be applied a maximum of 3 times per year and members can chose what breaks they apply pause pricing to.

5. Notice Requirements

Notice is always required to protect chef scheduling and service continuity.

Short Breaks (1–6 days)

  • Minimum 7 days’ notice, where possible

Extended Breaks (7–14 days)

  • Minimum 14 days’ notice

Pauses (15–28 days)

  • Minimum 14 days’ notice

Notice requirements apply to:

  • new break or pause requests

  • changes to agreed dates

  • extensions of an existing break or pause

Where sufficient notice is not provided:

  • pause pricing will not apply (where relevant)

  • holding fees may apply

Breaks in service longer than 28 consecutive days do not typically qualify for pause pricing. However, pause pricing may be considered at Alēra’s discretion based on account activity, break/pause history and intention to return.

6. Holding Fees for Short-Notice Changes

Holding fees exist to compensate chefs where short-notice changes materially affect their reserved availability.

  • Holding fee: £25 per day

  • Applied only where notice requirements are not met

  • Intended to reflect lost or disrupted chef availability

Holding fees may apply where:

  • a break, extended break, or pause is requested at short notice

  • an agreed return date is delayed

  • changes result in lost planned chef work

Where applicable, holding fees are added to the client’s invoice by the assigned chef.

Minor, one-off changes that do not materially affect availability may not result in a holding fee, at the chef’s discretion.

Chefs can charge holding fees for a maximum of 7 days for inadequate notice or a short or extended break, and for a maximum of 14 days for inadequate notice of a pause. The maximum holding fee charge from a chef is £350.

7. Additional Users & Household Plans

Where a household includes Additional Users, meals may continue if the primary user is away, but meals will be made in alignment with the primary users plan. Where additional users are looking to receive meals while the primary user is away, we encourage the client to contact admin to inform us so we can make the chef aware.

The following conditions apply:

  • Breaks and pauses apply to the plan as a whole, so if the primary user is marked as away, we assume all additional users are too

  • Pause pricing applies only where meal preparation and delivery fully cease for all covered household members

  • Temporary absence of one household member does not constitute a break or pause

  • Partial pauses are not permitted

  • Meal will reamin on plan with the primary users meal plan and will not be further to additional users outside of normal parameters

8. Extending or Amending Breaks & Pauses

If you:

  • amend dates

  • extend a break or pause

  • delay your return

notice requirements continue to apply.

Where changes result in loss of reserved chef availability, holding fees may apply.
Extensions do not reset annual allowances.

9. Returning Early From a Pause

If you wish to resume services earlier than planned:

  • resumption depends on chef availability

  • service resumes on the next available delivery cycle

  • pause pricing ends when meals actually resume

A pause counts as one pause even if it ends early.

10. Exceeding Your Allowance

If you exceed your annual break/pause allowance, you can still request breaks/pauses but:

  • pause pricing no longer applies

  • full membership fees continue

Alēra may, at its discretion:

  • require a plan change or downgrade

  • treat extended inactivity as service termination

  • require re-onboarding prior to resumption

11. Discretion & Exceptional Circumstances

Alēra may waive or amend fees in exceptional circumstances, such as:

  • serious illness

  • bereavement

  • emergencies

All decisions are made reasonably, in good faith, and with consideration for all parties at Alēra’s discretion.

12. Transparency

Alēra is committed to handling breaks and pauses:

  • fairly

  • transparently

  • with clear communication

You will always be informed in advance where holding fees or availability limitations apply.