By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last updated: 26 April 2026
Provider fees range from 15% to 35% of your quarterly budget. At Classification 3, the difference between the lowest and highest fee provider is $4,393 per year — in care you don't receive. Provider fee percentages are not published in one place. You have to ask each one individually. Most families don't know to ask. This guide shows you what to ask and what the answer should look like.
You've received your classification. You have 56 days to activate. The My Aged Care provider directory lists hundreds of registered providers near you. None of them publish their fee percentages. None of them tell you how many hours of care you'll actually receive after fees. You're being asked to make one of the most financially significant decisions in the whole aged care process with almost no comparable information.
This guide gives you the framework to compare providers properly — the specific questions to ask, the service agreement clauses to check, and the red flags that indicate a provider worth avoiding.
For a complete overview of how provider choice works under Support at Home — including the care management fee cap, service agreement requirements, and what to do when things go wrong — see the choosing and managing your aged care provider guide.
Start by reading what your classification actually buys in hours — so you know the baseline before any fees are taken out.
There are 873 registered home care providers nationally (KPMG, FY25). My Aged Care lists them with contact details and registration categories. What it doesn't list: fee percentages, hourly rates, worker availability by suburb, or complaint history.
This means every piece of comparative information you need has to be obtained by calling each provider individually and asking the right questions. Most families don't know what the right questions are — so they ask general questions, get general answers, and choose based on whoever sounds most professional on the phone.
One thing the system does publish — but doesn't surface — is the compliance record. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) maintains a public register of compliance actions and quality indicators by provider at agedcarequality.gov.au. Check any provider you're seriously considering on this register before signing — sanctions, enforceable undertakings, and notices to remedy are all listed there but not on My Aged Care. Or use the provider checker tool to look one up directly.
The six questions below are the specific ones that give you comparable data. Get the answers from at least three providers before making any decision.
Ask these six questions of every provider you consider. Get answers in writing where possible — follow up any phone call with an email asking them to confirm what they said.
Why this matters: Providers cannot charge more than 10% for care management alone under the Aged Care Rules 2025. But they can also charge an administration fee on top — and that's not capped. You need the combined total. Write it down for every provider you contact.
Any combined fee above 25% warrants asking for a detailed breakdown of what each component covers.
Why this matters: Some providers have waitlists for workers in specific regions, particularly rural and regional areas. A provider registered in your state may not have workers available within a reasonable distance. This question surfaces that problem before you've signed anything.
If they cannot give a specific timeline or say 'it depends' without further detail, ask to speak to the local coordinator.
Why this matters: My Aged Care lists registered providers but doesn't show worker availability by area. A provider may be registered for all of NSW but only operate workers in Sydney. Ask specifically about your suburb and what the typical travel time from their nearest worker is.
If they seem uncertain about worker availability in your area, ask for the name of the local team member who covers your location.
Why this matters: All Support at Home providers must publish their prices. The price list must include hourly rates for each service type — personal care, cleaning, nursing, transport. If they cannot produce this immediately, that is a warning sign about their administrative processes.
The price list should already exist and be readily available. Any delay suggests it may not be finalised or properly maintained.
Why this matters: The Aged Care Act 2024 requires every registered provider to have a formal complaint process. Asking this question tells you how seriously they take accountability. A provider who answers this clearly and specifically is more likely to take service issues seriously than one who gives a vague answer.
If they say 'just call us' or seem unfamiliar with the formal process, that is a red flag.
Why this matters: Consistency matters enormously for people receiving personal care — particularly when there is cognitive impairment or trust takes time to build. Some providers run high staff turnover and frequent substitutions; others assign a small regular team. This is different from worker availability in your suburb (Q3) — it's about who actually turns up week to week once services start.
Vague answers like 'we have lots of workers available' suggest a high-turnover pool. Press for the typical number of workers a client sees in a quarter, and what the cover process looks like when the regular worker is sick or on leave.
"Hi, I've been approved for Support at Home Classification [X], which gives me a quarterly budget of approximately $[amount]. I'm comparing providers before deciding. Can you tell me: what is your total fee percentage — care management plus any administration fee — as a percentage of my quarterly budget? And can you confirm whether you have workers available in [suburb]?"
Under the Aged Care Rules 2025, the care management fee is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. For Classification 3 ($5,491.43 per quarter), the maximum care management fee is $549.14 per quarter.
Providers can also charge an administration fee on top of care management. This is not capped — it varies by provider. The combined total is what you should compare.
A third allowable charge is a worker travel fee — the cost of support workers travelling to your home. Permitted, but must be disclosed in your service agreement before you sign. It should not appear as a surprise on your first statement. Ask explicitly whether the quoted fee percentage includes worker travel or charges it separately.
| Combined fee | Cl.3 quarterly cost | Left for care | Annual difference vs 15% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15% | $824 | $4,668 | — |
| 20% | $1,098 | $4,393 | $1,098/yr less |
| 25% | $1,373 | $4,119 | $2,197/yr less |
| 30% | $1,647 | $3,844 | $3,295/yr less |
| 35% | $1,922 | $3,569 | $4,393/yr less |
Based on Classification 3 quarterly budget of $5,491.43. Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, effective 1 November 2025. From 1 July 2026, government-set price caps will apply to all Support at Home services.
Use the fee impact calculator to see exactly how different fee percentages affect your available care hours at your specific classification level.
The service agreement is the document that starts your funding. Nothing in a verbal conversation is binding — only what's in the signed agreement. Check these eight things before you sign anything.
Fee percentages match what you were quoted verbally
Verbal quotes are not binding. Only what's in the signed agreement is enforceable.
Care management fee is stated as a percentage — and it's at or below 10%
The Aged Care Rules 2025 cap care management at 10% of your quarterly budget. If the agreement doesn't state a percentage, ask.
Administration fee is explicitly stated — not bundled or hidden
Administration fees are not capped. They should be stated clearly as a separate line item with a dollar or percentage amount.
Notice period for ending the agreement is stated
You have the right to change providers. The agreement should specify how much notice is required. Any period above 28 days warrants a question.
Exit conditions are clear — no exit fees
Under the Aged Care Act 2024, providers cannot charge exit fees. If the agreement mentions any fee for leaving, do not sign until it is removed.
Services match exactly what was discussed
Check the specific services listed. 'Home care' is vague. 'Personal care (showering and dressing) twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday' is specific. If the agreement is vague, ask for a detailed service schedule.
Price review process is described
Providers can change their prices. The agreement should describe how and when prices can be reviewed, and how much notice they must give before a price change takes effect.
Complaint process is described with contact details
Should include who to contact, how, and within what timeframe they will respond. Not just 'call us'.
Use the service agreement checker to work through your agreement systematically — it flags clauses that are unusual, missing, or above the legal limits.
Self-management is not a separate product — it is a way of organising services within the Support at Home program. How much you self-manage can range from "my provider handles everything" to "I choose my own workers and direct my own schedule." For a deeper look at self-managing your home care package, see the dedicated guide.
Even if you self-manage extensively, your registered provider is still legally responsible for care management and must provide at least one direct care management activity per month. You remain linked to a registered provider regardless of how much you self-manage.
| Factor | More coordination makes sense | More self-direction makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Care complexity | High — multiple conditions, many services | Lower — consistent services, stable situation |
| Time and capacity | Limited — carer or person cannot manage logistics | Available — someone can coordinate bookings and workers |
| Worker relationships | Happy with provider-selected workers | Want to choose specific, trusted workers |
| Fee sensitivity | Less concerned about maximising care hours | Want to stretch every dollar of the quarterly budget |
| Comfort with administration | Prefers someone else to handle paperwork | Comfortable managing schedules and documentation |
Self-management works well when a capable family member can take on the administrative role — scheduling workers, sourcing services, tracking the budget. It does not work well when the person is isolated, the family is distant, or the situation is medically complex. Neither option is universally better; the right choice depends on whether someone is realistically available to take on the admin load. Use the self-managed guide to understand what's actually involved before deciding.
Most service issues can be resolved without changing providers — but only if you raise them in a form that creates a record and on a timeline that doesn't drift for months.
Start with the provider in writing. Email — not phone — because email creates a record both sides can refer back to. State specifically what went wrong: which service, which date, what you expected, what happened instead. Ask for a written response within 5 business days.
If 5 business days pass without an acknowledgement, or the response doesn't resolve the issue, call OPAN on 1800 700 600. OPAN is free, independent, and they know how to get providers to respond. Most providers escalate the issue internally as soon as OPAN makes contact.
Families wait far too long before escalating — giving the provider weeks or months of chances before calling OPAN. By that point significant care has been missed, the pattern is entrenched, and the relationship is harder to repair. Five business days is a reasonable response window. After that, escalate without apology.
For the full escalation pathway — who to call at each stage, what to say, and what to do when it stalls — read the escalation ladder guide.
Under the Aged Care Act 2024, you have the right to change providers at any time. Your current provider cannot charge exit fees and must support you in the transition.
The most common reasons families switch: the provider isn't delivering what was agreed, fees are higher than expected, the support workers keep changing, or the relationship has broken down. None of these require an apology or an explanation.
Find a new provider before agreeing on an end date with your current one. This limits any gap in service delivery.
Tell your current provider you want to change. Give the notice period stated in your service agreement.
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 to update your referral to the new provider.
Sign a new service agreement with the new provider before the transition date.
If your provider is refusing to support the transition or adding conditions, the escalation ladder covers how to escalate this — starting with OPAN (1800 700 600) for free independent advocacy.
You are activated when you have a signed service agreement with a registered Support at Home provider. Until that agreement is signed, your funding does not start — even if your approval letter is sitting on the table.
The 56-day window starts from the date on your approval letter. Every day without a signed agreement is a day of funding that does not accumulate.
If the 56-day window passes, your approval is still valid. Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 immediately to discuss next steps. For a full walkthrough of the activation decisions — including fee comparison, provider questions, and the service agreement — the Activation Guide covers every step of the 56-day window in detail.
"Hi, I've been approved for Support at Home Classification [X] and I have chosen [Provider Name] as my provider. I'd like to confirm this choice formally so the referral is linked to them. Can you update my record and give me a reference number?"
If you're choosing a provider as part of getting started with aged care, a personalised action plan walks you through every step — from the My Aged Care call through to signing your service agreement. Get your action plan →
Use the service agreement checker to review your agreement before signing — it flags clauses that are above the legal cap or missing required terms.
Go to myagedcare.gov.au, click Find a provider, select Support at Home, and filter by your state and region. Get at least 3 names and phone numbers before calling any of them. There are 873 registered home care providers nationally (KPMG, FY25).
Under the Aged Care Rules 2025, care management fees are capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. For Classification 3 ($5,491.43 per quarter), the maximum is $549.14. Providers can also charge an administration fee on top — ask for the combined total percentage.
Self-management is not a separate product — it is a way of organising services within the Support at Home program. Even if you self-manage extensively, your registered provider is still legally responsible for care management. You can choose your own workers and direct your own schedule.
Yes. Under the Aged Care Act 2024, you have the right to change providers at any time without exit fees. Find a new provider before agreeing on an end date with your current one to avoid a gap in services.
From the date on your approval letter, you have 56 days to sign a service agreement with a registered provider. Your funding does not start until activation. If the window passes, your approval is still valid — contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 immediately.
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Start Navigator — $29/month →This guide is for information only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Verified against the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. Check myagedcare.gov.au for current rates and rules.