In this guide:
Support at Home is a government-subsidised program that provides in-home aged care support. It’s free for eligible older Australians to access, although you may need to contribute out-of-pocket to the services you receive.
In this article, we explain how participant contributions work.
What are participant contributions?
These are dollar amounts that you contribute toward the services you have received under Support at Home. This way, the cost of some services and products is shared between you and the government.
Participant contributions are based on a set percentage for each type of support, and depend on the hourly rate or the unit price of a service or product.
For example:
- If you receive 2 hours of social support, you will pay a contribution for each hour.
- If you receive 4 meals, your contribution will be calculated per meal.
You pay your share as a dollar amount set by the percentage, and the government covers the rest as a subsidy to your provider.
How are contributions calculated for each participant?
There are 2 key factors that determine your individual contribution:
- The type of service you receive; and
- Your financial circumstances.
Service types
Support at Home services fall into 3 categories, each with its own contribution rate:
- No contributions are required from individuals for clinical support. This includes nursing and allied health care and is fully funded by the government.
- Moderate contributions are required from individuals for independence. This includes personal care and products or equipment under the AT-HM Scheme.
- The highest contributions are required from individuals for everyday living. This includes services such as cleaning and gardening.
Support at Home participants will never need to pay for clinical support.
Your financial circumstances
Contributions also vary depending on your income and assets assessment, plus your Age Pension status:
- Full pensioners: lowest contributions
- Part pensioners: moderate contributions
- Self-funded retirees: highest contributions.
Contribution rates by support type and income
Below you can find more detail about the contribution rates for each type of support, for each category of participant.
| Participant category | Clinical supports | Independence | Everyday living |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part pensioner or Self-funded retiree (CSHC holder or eligible) | 0% | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 5% and 50% based on an assessment of their income and assets.* | Part pensioners and CSHC holders will pay between 17.5% and 80% based on an assessment of their income and assets.* |
| Self-funded retiree (not eligible for CSHC) | Self-funded retiree (not eligible for CSHC) | 50% | 80% |
*For part pensioners this will be based on their Age Pension means assessment. CSHC holders will undergo a separate assessment for Support at Home.
To help protect lower income self-funded retirees, those eligible for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) will pay a lower rate than those who are not, even if they haven’t applied for the card.
Changes in contributions from Home Care Packages
If you were receiving a Home Care Package (HCP) on 12 September 2024, or were already on the National Priority System or assessed as eligible for a package by that date, you will be protected under the “no worse off” arrangements.
This means that you won’t be negatively impacted by the transition to Support at Home. You will make the same contributions, or lower, than you would under the HCP program.
Here’s what that means in practice:
- If you are a full-rate pensioner who paid no fees under your HCP on 12 September 2024, you will not pay fees under Support at Home.
- If you did pay fees under your HCP as at 12 September 2024, your contributions may change, but you will not pay more than you did previously.
- If you are reassessed after 1 November 2025, you will be given a Support at Home classification that matches or exceeds your current HCP level. Your contributions may change depending on the services you receive, but your classification level will not decrease.
- Please contact My Aged Care or visit the Department of Health Disability and Ageing’s website for the most current details and details to your particular circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to unspent funds from my Home Care Package?
Any unspent funds will be carried over to use under Support at Home. They can be used for either Assistive Technology or Home Modifications (before any new AT-HM funding is allocated to you) or for extra services once your quarterly budget has been used.
Services Australia will continue to manage these funds. You'll still make contributions, but the balance will only be reduced by the government subsidy amount.
How are contributions collected from Support at Home participants?
Your Support at Home provider will collect your contributions for relevant services. These payments are separate from your government funding and won't come out of your ongoing budget.
Is there a cap on participant contributions?
Yes. There is a $130,000 lifetime cap on contributions. This cap protects people who receive aged care services over a long period. It applies to Support at Home and is a combined cap with the non-clinical care contribution for residential aged care.
What if I don't want to provide my income and assets information?
You don't have to share your income and assets details with Services Australia. If you choose not to, you can still receive Support at Home funding but your contribution will be set at the maximum rate.
This article, and any of our linked documents or articles, provides our summary of Support at Home terms and is intended for general purposes only. Please contact My Aged Care for information specific to your circumstances.