From 1 October 2026, personal care services under the Support at Home program will be fully funded by the Australian Government.
If you or a loved one receives help with daily tasks like showering, dressing or continence management, you will no longer pay any out-of-pocket contribution for those services. Here is everything you need to know about what is changing, what is not, and what it means in practice.
The announcement came on 22 April 2026, when Health Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care Minister Sam Rae confirmed that personal care services would be reclassified from the Independence category to the Clinical Supports category under Support at Home. The change is estimated to cost $1 billion over four years.
The decision followed months of criticism since Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages program in November 2025. Under the original fee structure, participants were required to pay means-tested co-contributions for personal care, with rates ranging from around 5 per cent for full pensioners up to 50 per cent for self-funded retirees.
Reports emerged that some older Australians were skipping showers or reducing care visits to manage costs. Hundreds of federal politicians signed an open letter opposing the charges, and the Inspector-General of Aged Care, Natalie Siegel-Brown, warned the co-payments risked discriminating against those on the lowest incomes and raised human rights concerns. In an interview on ABC News Breakfast following the announcement, Minister Rae acknowledged the government had listened directly to older people and their families, saying: “Older people have made clear that they want showering, they want dressing and continence management considered as clinical care and that’s the change that we’re making.”
Personal care services will move from the Independence contribution category to the Clinical Supports contribution category. Clinical Supports are fully funded by the government, meaning participants pay no out-of-pocket contribution.
This is a mandatory change for all Support at Home providers delivering personal care services. From 1 October, providers are required to update their systems, billing processes and participant-facing documents to reflect the new arrangement.
One important administrative note: claims for personal care services delivered before 1 October will still attract the applicable participant contribution, even if those services are invoiced after that date. Only services actually delivered from 1 October onward will be covered at no cost.
The definition of personal care is not changing. The following tasks have always been classified as personal care and will now be fully funded:
There are no changes to how these services are delivered, what qualifications workers need, or which registration categories apply. Personal care workers can continue providing these services exactly as before. The only thing changing is the contribution category used for billing purposes.
If you are uncertain whether a specific task you receive is classified as personal care, check the Support at Home service list on the My Aged Care website or speak with your provider.
You will receive personal care at no cost if two conditions are met:
No new assessment is required. Eligibility and approval requirements remain the same. My Aged Care has confirmed that if you are already receiving personal care under an approved plan, the funding change will apply automatically from 1 October.
This change applies only to Support at Home participants. The Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is separate and is not expected to transition to Support at Home until at least July 2027. CHSP participants are not affected by this change.
Only personal care is moving to fully funded Clinical Supports. All other service categories retain their existing contribution arrangements.
| Service category | Examples | Your contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical supports | Nursing, allied health, personal care (from 1 Oct 2026) | None |
| Independence services | Transport, social support, assistive technology | Moderate, means-tested |
| Everyday living services | Cleaning, gardening, meal preparation | Higher, means-tested |
Your contribution rate for Independence and Everyday Living services is calculated based on an income and assets assessment by Services Australia, taking into account your pension status and financial circumstances. Full pensioners pay the lowest rates; self-funded retirees not eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card pay the highest.
A lifetime cap of $135,318.69 (indexed as of 1 November 2025) applies across your combined Support at Home and residential aged care contributions. This cap is indexed every March and September.
If cost is a barrier for services that still attract a contribution, financial hardship assistance is available through Services Australia. Eligible participants can apply to have some or all contributions reduced or waived for the period of hardship. Ask your provider for guidance on how to apply, or contact Services Australia directly.
Participants who choose not to disclose their income and assets are considered “means not disclosed” and will be charged the maximum contribution rate. Completing an income and assets assessment is always worth doing if you think your actual circumstances would result in a lower rate.
Even though the change is automatic, it is worth taking a few practical steps in the lead-up to October.
Confirm that personal care is included in your support plan. If you are unsure, ask your provider to check your current approved services.
Ask about your other fees. Understand exactly which services you will still be contributing toward and what those amounts are expected to be.
Review your October invoice. From 1 October, personal care should no longer appear as a participant contribution line item. If it does for services delivered from that date onward, raise it with your provider promptly.
Providers are required under the changes to update service agreements, individualised budgets and monthly statements to reflect the new arrangement. The Department of Health and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission have also indicated they will specifically monitor personal care pricing as the service type transitions into the Clinical Supports category, to ensure providers are not adjusting their hourly rates to recoup the removed contribution.
Do I need a new aged care assessment? No. If personal care is already approved in your support plan, the change applies automatically. You do not need to fill in any new forms.
What personal care tasks are included? The listed services include showering, dressing, continence support, eating assistance, personal hygiene and help with self-administration of medication. These are the services the government has identified as personal care for this funding change.
Will cleaning, gardening or transport also be fully funded? No. Only personal care is moving to the fully funded Clinical category. You will still pay a participant contribution for Everyday Living services (like cleaning and gardening) and the remaining Independence services (like transport and social support).
What if I cannot afford my other Support at Home fees? Financial assistance is available if cost is a concern for other services. You can apply for financial hardship assistance to reduce or waive contributions if you are eligible.
Does this affect CHSP participants? No. This change applies only to Support at Home participants. CHSP is a separate program and is not transitioning to Support at Home until at least July 2027.
What if my provider still charges me for personal care after October? If your provider charges a participant contribution for personal care services delivered on or after 1 October, raise it with them in writing. If the issue is not resolved, you can lodge a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
