In recent weeks, an online forum dedicated to home care and aged care has become a focal point for frustration among support workers, who report significant delays in receiving payments for their services.
These claims highlight the challenges faced during the shift from the Home Care Packages (HCP) program to the new Support at Home (SaH) program, which came into effect at the beginning of this month. While the transition is intended to reshape in-home care, it has instead exposed administrative bottlenecks and left many workers in financial uncertainty.
At the heart of the problem is the government’s requirement for providers to submit a single, final claim for services delivered under the old HCP program up to 31 October 2025. Once this claim is lodged, no further additions or amendments are permitted, creating a strict cut-off that has put pressure on the sector.
Providers report receiving an influx of late invoices, many requiring additional verification due to incomplete service dates, client details, or descriptions. Some have extended internal submission deadlines to include as many invoices as possible in the final claim, increasing workloads for staff already stretched thin.
The backlog has now extended into the new SaH invoices for services provided from 1 November onwards. Workers report waiting periods far beyond the usual five to seven business days, with some receiving no payments for over a month.
Providers attribute delays to the compressed volume of submissions during the transition, and to the release of funds from Services Australia, which depends on government processing times. While providers assure that all valid invoices will eventually be paid, the disruption has already strained communication channels and eroded trust.
The financial impact on support workers is severe. Many operate as sole traders or contractors and rely on timely payments to cover essentials such as mortgages, utilities, fuel, and groceries. Forum participants voice deep frustration, questioning how they can sustain themselves without income while travelling long distances to care for clients.
One worker highlighted the irony: while they continue to provide care out of dedication to vulnerable clients, the system seems indifferent to their own financial vulnerability. Others consider whether to halt work, though many feel morally compelled to continue, despite the risk to themselves.
Providers have apologised for the delays and acknowledged the critical role workers play in supporting older Australians. They pledge to deploy resources to clear backlogs and restore standard payment timelines.
Recommendations include submitting complete invoices and contacting accounts teams for urgent issues. Some forum members suggest escalating concerns to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission or exploring alternative providers with more efficient processing. However, the broader issues with the SaH system remain unresolved, highlighting deep structural and administrative flaws.
The transition to Support at Home exposes weaknesses in the design and implementation of aged care reforms. While the program promises a streamlined approach to funding, the early experience shows that providers are unprepared and that the system can place workers under significant financial and operational stress.
The current situation reinforces that the reforms are highly contentious and far from a smooth or equitable solution for the sector.
