By Steve Hadfield, AgedCareActionPlan.au · Last updated: 26 April 2026
Government-funded support workers provide services to the approved care recipient — not to other household members. A spouse who is not on the program is not entitled to have their laundry done, their meals cooked, or their rooms cleaned. This distinction is in the service framework but is almost never explained to families upfront.
Your support worker said they can't do something. You don't know if they're right. This is an extremely common situation — support workers operate within a defined scope, and what's in scope is rarely explained clearly when services start.
This guide covers what workers will and won't do, why, and what your options are when the answer is no. Before assuming the refusal is correct, check whether the task is approved in your care plan — because that's the actual determining factor, not a general rule about what workers can do.
Use the service agreement checker to confirm what's in your agreement, and the escalation guide if a refusal is unjustified.
These are the services typically within scope under Support at Home, provided they are approved in your care plan. The care plan is the key — services must be listed there. If something you need isn't in your care plan, the solution is a Support Plan Review through My Aged Care (1800 200 422), not arguing with the worker.
| Task | Notes |
|---|---|
| ✓ Personal care — showering, bathing | For the care recipient only. Includes dressing, grooming, oral hygiene. |
| ✓ Meal preparation | For the care recipient's nutritional needs. Can cook meals others in the household share, but the service is for the recipient. |
| ✓ Light housekeeping | Cleaning areas the care recipient uses — their bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living areas. Not the whole house. |
| ✓ Laundry | The care recipient's laundry only — not other household members. |
| ✓ Vacuuming and mopping | Recipient's living areas. Not guest rooms, children's rooms, or other household members' spaces. |
| ✓ Transport to appointments | If transport is approved in your care plan. Includes medical appointments, social activities, community activities. |
| ✓ Grocery shopping | Either accompanying the person or shopping on their behalf. Receipts should be provided. |
| ✓ Medication prompting | Reminding the person to take medication and organising a medication box. Not administering injections or managing complex regimes. |
| ✓ Social support | Accompanying to community events, social activities, outings — if approved in the care plan. |
| ✓ Simple garden maintenance | If approved in the care plan. Typically lawn mowing and basic upkeep — not landscaping. |
These tasks fall outside the scope of government-funded support workers under the Support at Home program. Some of these limitations are about clinical safety (only qualified nurses can administer medication). Others are about the program's design — services are for the approved recipient, not the household.
| Task | Why |
|---|---|
| ✗ Laundry or cleaning for other household members | Services are for the care recipient only. A spouse, partner, or adult child's laundry is outside scope. |
| ✗ Heavy or specialised cleaning | Window cleaning, oven cleaning, carpet shampooing — unless specifically approved. Workers are not professional cleaners. |
| ✗ Handling money or managing finances | Financial management carries legal risk. This is outside support worker scope. |
| ✗ Administering medication | Injections, IV medication, and complex medication regimes require nursing qualifications. |
| ✗ Moving or lifting furniture | Not within the scope of personal care or domestic assistance. Occupational therapist equipment is arranged separately via AT-HM. |
| ✗ Pet care | Walking dogs, cleaning pet areas, or caring for animals is generally outside scope unless specifically included in the care plan. |
| ✗ Child care | Support workers provide care for the approved recipient, not for children in the household. |
| ✗ Cooking for the whole household | Preparing a family dinner is outside scope. Preparing meals for the recipient's nutritional needs is within scope. |
| ✗ Home maintenance and repairs | Not a support worker responsibility. Home maintenance may be covered under AT-HM or as a separate service in the care plan. |
| ✗ Clinical nursing tasks | Wound care, catheter management, complex continence care — these require a registered nurse or enrolled nurse. |
The first step is to check your approved care plan. Services must be in the care plan to be government-funded. If the task is approved in your care plan and the worker is still refusing, the issue is either a misunderstanding on the worker's part or a provider policy that conflicts with your entitlements.
"My care plan includes [specific service]. On [date], my support worker declined to perform this task, stating [reason given]. Can you confirm whether this task is within scope for my approved care plan, and what the correct process is? I'd like a written response within 3 business days."
If your provider cannot give you a clear answer, or if the refusal continues after escalating to the coordinator, use the escalation ladder — starting with OPAN (1800 700 600) for free, independent advocacy.
If your needs have increased — you need more hours, or different types of support — the answer is a Support Plan Review, not a complaint. Contact My Aged Care on 📞 1800 200 422 and request a Support Plan Review. A new assessment may qualify you for a higher classification with a larger quarterly budget.
Before requesting a review, use the assessment preparation tool to document your current difficulties clearly. The IAT algorithm scores specific, documented incidents — not general descriptions.
From 1 October 2026, personal care (showering, dressing, grooming) moves from Independence to Clinical — confirmed at myagedcare.gov.au. This means zero co-contribution for personal care — regardless of your income. If you or the person currently pays a co-contribution on showering and dressing visits, this will change automatically on 1 October 2026.
Domestic assistance sits in the Everyday Living service category under Support at Home. This category has two important financial implications. First, it attracts the highest co-contribution rates — from 17.5% for full pensioners to 80% for self-funded retirees without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Second, gardening and cleaning will not be subject to the July 2026 price caps, meaning provider prices for these services can continue to vary significantly after other services are capped.
This means domestic services are often the most expensive part of a Support at Home plan for higher-income participants — both in terms of co-contribution rate and provider hourly rate. If domestic assistance is a large part of your care plan and your co-contribution rate is high, it is worth reviewing how your quarterly budget is allocated. More hours of clinical care at zero contribution may be more beneficial than hours of domestic assistance at 50–80% contribution.
A clean, uncluttered home directly reduces falls risk. Support workers are not just there for convenience — domestic assistance is clinically relevant for older people who can no longer safely bend, reach, carry, or stand for extended periods. If your assessor has queried why domestic services are in your care plan, your provider can request a clinical justification from your occupational therapist or GP linking the service to your home safety needs.
If your provider tells you that domestic services are being reduced, ask them to confirm the reason in writing. The most common reasons are budget constraints, worker availability, and care plan reviews. Each of these has a different response.
Ask for an itemised breakdown of how your quarterly budget is being allocated. If care management or administration is consuming a disproportionate share, you have grounds to query this. The care management fee cannot exceed 10%.
Ask when a worker will be available and get a specific date — not 'when we have someone.' If unavailability is ongoing, ask whether you can source your own worker through a self-directed arrangement while the provider resolves the staffing issue.
If a Support Plan Review resulted in fewer domestic service hours, you can request to see the review outcome and the clinical reasoning behind it. You can also request a further review if your circumstances have changed.
If your current services aren't covering what's needed — or your provider isn't delivering what was agreed — a personalised plan covers the escalation path and your options. Get your action plan →
If your support worker is refusing to do something that should be in your care plan, the escalation tool tells you exactly who to call.
Yes — laundry for the person receiving care is typically covered under Everyday Living services. However, support workers do laundry for the approved care recipient only, not for other household members. Laundry attracts a co-contribution — the amount depends on your pension status and income.
No. Meal preparation is for the person receiving care only, not for other household members. The worker can prepare a meal the whole household shares, but the service is specifically for the care recipient's nutritional needs.
First check whether the task is in your approved care plan. If it is, contact your provider's coordinator in writing and ask for an explanation. If the refusal isn't resolved, contact OPAN on 1800 700 600 for free advocacy support.
Yes, if transport is included in your approved care plan as an Everyday Living service. If transport isn't in your plan, request a Support Plan Review through My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Handling money is generally outside scope. Medication prompting (reminding the person to take medication) is allowed; administering injections or complex medication regimes requires nursing qualifications and is not a support worker task.
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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.