Under Support at Home, participants do not pay one flat fee. The contribution depends on the service used and the participant’s assessed income and assets.
The program replaced Home Care Packages and Short-Term Restorative Care on 1 November 2025. Commonwealth Home Support Program services are due to transition no earlier than 1 July 2027.
How the budget works
Participants approved for ongoing services receive one of eight funding classifications. The funding is provided as a quarterly budget and includes care-management funding. The current annual classification amounts published from 1 July 2026 range from approximately $11,010 for Classification 1 to $80,137 for Classification 8.
Up to $1,000 or 10% of the quarterly budget, whichever is greater under the program rules, can generally be carried into the next quarter. The provider issues monthly statements showing services, prices, government funding and participant contributions.
The three contribution categories
Clinical supports
Examples include nursing and physiotherapy. Government funds the full service price.
Independence
Includes services such as personal care and many assistive-technology items.
Everyday living
Includes domestic assistance, meals and gardening-type services.
Care management
Ten per cent of the ongoing quarterly budget is allocated to care management.
What are the standard contribution percentages?
| Assessment outcome | Clinical | Independence | Everyday living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part pensioner or self-funded CSHC holder | 0% | 5% to 50% | 17.5% to 80% |
| Self-funded non-CSHC holder or means not disclosed | 0% | 50% | 80% |
Part-pensioner and CSHC-holder rates are tapered according to the income-and-assets assessment. Actual percentages are confirmed by Services Australia.
Personal care change from 1 October 2026
My Aged Care states that from 1 October 2026 the Australian Government will fully fund approved personal care services. Participants will have no out-of-pocket contribution for that service type when it is included in their support plan.
Who is protected by no-worse-off arrangements?
People receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 may be protected. If they were assessed as paying no Home Care Package fees, they are not asked to pay Support at Home contributions. If they did pay fees, they should pay the same or less under the transition arrangements.
Provider prices still matter
The contribution is a percentage of the provider’s price for the service. Providers set and publish their own prices, so two people with the same contribution percentage can pay different dollar amounts with different providers.
A simple example
If an everyday living service costs $100:
- a full pensioner contribution at 17.5% is $17.50;
- a participant assessed at 40% contributes $40; and
- a self-funded non-CSHC participant at 80% contributes $80.
The remaining price is funded by the government, subject to the participant’s available budget and approved services.
What should families review?
- The participant’s contribution percentages.
- The provider’s full price list.
- Which services are clinical, independence or everyday living.
- The quarterly budget and care-management allocation.
- Unspent funds and carryover.
- Whether no-worse-off protections apply.
- The effect of the 1 October 2026 personal care change.
Need help understanding your figures?
Aged Care Fee Experts provides plain-English fee calculations, accommodation comparisons and practical Services Australia support without recommending financial products or telling families what decision to make.
Book a Complimentary Initial ConsultationOfficial sources used
- My Aged Care – Support at Home costs and contributions
- Department of Health – Support at Home program
Government rates and thresholds change. The source pages should be checked again when a calculation is completed.
General information only: This guide does not provide financial, legal or tax advice. Outcomes depend on individual circumstances, provider agreements and the rules, rates and thresholds applying at the relevant time.