Self-managed vs provider-managed — what's the difference?
Most people don't know self-management is an option. It can mean significantly more care hours from the same budget — but it comes with trade-offs worth understanding.
This guide is for the person receiving care, their partner or spouse, or a family member helping to manage their care.
Up to 2× more care hours
A provider charging 35% in fees on a Classification 5 package ($39,697/year) takes $13,894 before a single hour of care is delivered. A self-management provider charging 15% takes $5,955. That difference — $7,939 per year — buys roughly 88 extra hours of personal care at $90/hr.
Is self-management right for you?
Answer 4 questions to get a recommendation.
Are you (or someone helping you) comfortable managing invoices, keeping records, and tracking a budget?
1 of 4
Side-by-side comparison
Self-managed
Provider-managed
Who chooses the support workers
You choose and book directly
Provider assigns workers
Admin fees (from your budget)
13–20% typically
20–40% typically
Care hours you receive
More — lower fees mean more left for care
Fewer — higher fees reduce the budget available
Who manages the paperwork
You (invoices, records, claims)
Provider handles it
Flexibility to change services
High — you direct your own care day to day
Depends on the provider
Who you still need
Still need an approved provider for compliance and fund management
Provider manages everything
Best for
People who want control and are comfortable managing admin
People who want someone else to handle the coordination
Important: Self-management does not mean going it alone. Under Support at Home, you still need a registered approved provider to hold your funding, manage government compliance, and process claims. What changes is that you — not the provider — direct your care day to day, choose your workers, and manage your schedule.
Already with a provider? How to switch to self-management
1Find a provider that supports self-management with low fees (search 'self-managed Support at Home providers' or ask My Aged Care for a list)
2Compare their management fee against your current provider's fee — ask for the exact dollar amount per quarter
3If you decide to switch, follow the provider switching process (see our switching guide)
4Tell your new provider you want to self-manage — they will set up the administrative structure
5You'll take on responsibility for booking workers, collecting invoices, and keeping records
Once you've made the decision
Navigator monitors your statements whether you self-manage or not.
Self-management gives you more care hours — but monthly statements still arrive, and fees can still change without notice. Navigator reviews your statement every month, tracks whether fees stay within what was agreed, and runs a quarterly reassessment check-in. If something changes, you'll know before it accumulates.
Cancel anytime. Month to month, no lock-in. 30-day money-back if Navigator isn't useful.
Decided on self-management — or still deciding
Self-management saves money. It also means the admin is entirely yours.
Whether you self-manage or use a provider, the 56-day activation window works the same way — and the decisions in that window determine how much of your quarterly budget actually reaches care. The Activation Guide covers provider selection, self-management setup, service agreement review, and what to do if the deadline is closer than you thought.