Last updated: 25 September 2026
Under the old Home Care Package system, income-tested fees applied across all services — including nursing and allied health. Under Support at Home, clinical care is zero contribution for everyone, regardless of income or assets. If you are a self-funded retiree who previously paid income-tested fees for nursing or physiotherapy, that cost is now gone.
Contribution rates are one of the most misunderstood parts of Support at Home. The system is deliberately structured so that clinical care is protected — fully funded by the government — while non-clinical services are shared between the government and the participant based on ability to pay.
The rates below are indicative bands. Your exact percentage is set by Services Australia through an income and assets assessment similar to the Age Pension means test. Call 1800 227 475 to arrange or update your assessment.
Every Support at Home service falls into one of three categories. Your contribution rate depends on which category the service is in.
Services: Nursing care, wound care, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, podiatry, psychology, social work, medication management, continence support, nutritional management, care management
No means test. No income or assets assessment changes this. Everyone pays zero for clinical care under Support at Home.
Services: Personal care delivered before 1 October 2026, respite care, transport, social support, minor home modifications, assistive technology
Full pensioner pays approximately 5%. Self-funded retiree without a CSHC pays approximately 50%.
Services: Domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry), gardening, shopping assistance, meal preparation, meal delivery
Full pensioner pays approximately 17.5%. Self-funded retiree without a CSHC pays approximately 80%.
These are indicative bands only. Your exact rate is determined by Services Australia based on your individual income and assets. The table shows the approximate range for each cohort. See what your classification buys in hours to understand how contribution rates affect your available care time.
| Your status | Clinical | Independence | Everyday living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Age Pension | 0% | ~5% | ~17.5% |
| Part pensioner / CSHC holder | 0% | 5%–50% | 17.5%–80% |
| Self-funded retiree (no CSHC) | 0% | ~50% | ~80% |
| Means not disclosed | 0% | 50% (maximum) | 80% (maximum) |
Indicative rates only. Exact rates set by Services Australia via income and assets assessment. Source: Support at Home program manual v4.4 (September 2026), s9.4; My Aged Care, Support at Home costs and contributions. People receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 pay under the No Worse Off Principle: see our home care package fact sheet for those rates.
If your income and assets have not been assessed by Services Australia, you are classified as "means not disclosed" and charged at maximum rates — 50% for independence services and 80% for everyday living. For most people, completing the assessment results in a meaningfully lower rate. Call Services Australia on 1800 227 475 to arrange or update your assessment.
Once your total contributions reach the lifetime cap, you pay nothing further for non-clinical Support at Home services — regardless of how much care you receive. The cap accumulates across Support at Home and residential aged care combined.
Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Support at Home participant contributions (caps current as of 20 September 2026).
Services Australia tracks your cumulative contributions and tells you and your provider once you reach the cap. You don't need to track this yourself — but if you are a higher-rate payer (self-funded retiree receiving a significant volume of Everyday Living services), it is worth checking your current cumulative total with Services Australia on 1800 227 475.
From 1 October 2026, personal care moves into the Clinical Supports contribution category. If it is approved in your support plan and there is funding available, you pay no contribution for it, whatever your income. It is still paid from your Support at Home budget, so removing the contribution does not free up budget for other services. Personal care covers showering, non-clinical continence management, dressing, eating, personal hygiene and help taking your own medication. If personal care is a large part of your plan, your out-of-pocket costs fall; your budget does not grow.
Your monthly statement should show your contribution as a line item against each service you received — not as a single lump sum. For example: "Social support — 2 hours — provider price $100/hr — your contribution 5% — $10.00." If your statement shows a single "client contribution" figure without itemising which services it applies to, ask your provider for an itemised breakdown.
The contribution is calculated on the price your provider charges for the service — not on the government subsidy. If your provider's price for social support is $110 per hour and your contribution rate is 5%, you pay $5.50 per hour. The government pays the remaining $104.50 to your provider, but the full $110 is taken from your Support at Home budget.
Check each monthly statement against the categories above, and ask your provider about any contribution that doesn't match.
Personal care delivered before 1 October 2026 attracts a contribution based on your income and assets. From 1 October 2026, if it is approved in your support plan and there is funding available, you pay no contribution for it, whatever your income. It is still paid from your budget. If personal care is a large part of your plan, your monthly out-of-pocket costs fall automatically from that date. You do not need to do anything.
Financial hardship provisions are available for people who genuinely cannot afford their assessed contributions due to circumstances beyond their control — unexpected changes in financial situation, exceptional expenses, or other hardship factors.
Hardship applications are assessed individually by Services Australia. Contact Services Australia on 1800 227 475 to discuss your situation. The process is separate from the standard means assessment.
A financial counsellor can also help you prepare a hardship application. The Carer Gateway (1800 422 737) can point you to free financial counselling services in your area.
Choosing or changing a provider
Our free guide covers what to compare between providers and what to check in a service agreement before you sign. For independent help, OPAN (the Older Persons Advocacy Network) gives free, confidential advice on 1800 700 600.
Read the free provider guide →New to these terms? See the full glossary →
Indicative rates: 0% clinical, ~5% independence, ~17.5% everyday living. Your exact rate is set by Services Australia based on your individual income and assets assessment.
Without a CSHC: ~50% independence, ~80% everyday living — but 0% for all clinical care. This is better than under HCP, where income-tested fees applied to all services. With a CSHC: rates similar to part pensioners.
Standard (approved after 12 September 2024): $140,652.80 (indexed, as at 20 September 2026). Grandfathered (HCP on or before 12 Sep 2024): $88,934.57 (indexed). Once reached, no further contributions for non-clinical services. Cap is shared with residential aged care contributions.
Personal care delivered before 1 October 2026 attracts an Independence contribution. From 1 October 2026, personal care moves into the Clinical Supports contribution category. If it is approved in your support plan and there is funding available, you pay no contribution for it, whatever your income. It is still paid from your Support at Home budget, so removing the contribution does not free up budget for other services.
You default to maximum rates: 50% independence, 80% everyday living. Providing details to Services Australia allows your rate to be tapered. For most people, providing details results in a significantly lower contribution.
Needs gone up? A reassessment can change the level.
If more help is needed than the budget covers, a reassessment looks at the level again (officially, the classification). Our free tool helps you write down what really happens at home, so the assessor hears the full picture. Independent — no sales calls.
Prepare for the reassessment — free →This guide is for information only — not legal, medical, or financial advice. Support at Home operates under the Aged Care Act 2024 and Aged Care Rules 2025. Check myagedcare.gov.au for current rates and rules.