Understanding Support at Home budgets, pricing and contributions

The Support at Home program has transformed how in-home aged care is funded and managed in Australia. It’s designed to make your care more transparent, flexible, and easier to plan, so you can get the most from your funding and continue living well at home with confidence.

Here’s what you need to know about quarterly budgets, participant contributions, and how to make the most of your funding under Support at Home.

Key takeaways:

• Support at Home introduces quarterly budgets to help you plan care effectively.
• Fees are simpler, with care management capped at 10% and all admin costs included in hourly service fees.
• You only pay for what you use, and your contribution depends on your finances and service type.
• Five Good Friends offers service prices below the national average and provides expert guidance to help you maximise your funding.

Support at Home quarterly budgets explained

Under Support at Home, funding is managed quarterly — every three months. Your budget is planned and reviewed regularly, making it easy to track your spending and stay on top of your care needs.

If you don’t use all your allocated funds in a quarter, you can carry over a small amount into the next. The maximum amount you can carry over is the greater of $1,000 or 10% of your quarterly budget.

This structure encourages proactive planning and allows for unforeseen needs, while ensuring your funding supports your wellbeing now.

Simplified service prices and fees

Support at Home introduces a simpler, more transparent pricing structure with all-inclusive service prices.

Care management fees are capped at 10% and all administration costs are included in the all-inclusive hourly rate for services.

Support at Home contributions: Paying only for what you use

Under Support at Home, you only contribute toward the services you receive. This replaces the old income-tested care fee from the Home Care Package program.

Your Support at Home contribution depends on two key factors:

1. The type of service
   • Clinical support services (e.g. nursing, allied health) carry no contribution requirement.
   • Independence services (e.g. personal care, transport, assistive technology) typically require a moderate contribution.
   • Everyday living services (e.g. domestic help, gardening, meal support) usually incur a higher contribution.
2. Your financial situation
   • Full pensioners typically pay the lowest contributions, around 5%–17.5%, depending on service type.
   • Part pensioners, self-funded retirees, and non-pensioners may pay higher rates — between 5% and 80% — depending on income, assets, and the service category.

To help with planning, the Government offers a Support at Home contributions calculator so you can see what you might pay, based on your situation.

Grandfathered Home Care Package Members

If you were receiving or approved for a Home Care Package on, or before, 12 September 2024, you are a grandfathered participant. Under the “no worse off” rule, you’ll pay the same or less than before, and your unspent HCP funds transition with you.

Making the most of your funding

Because funding is planned quarterly, it’s important to make the most of your budget within each three-month period. You can carry over a small amount of unspent funds, but the goal is to use your funding to support your wellbeing now, not to save it for later. ‍ Want to learn more about Support at Home pricing and contributions? Our team at Five Good Friends are available to answer your questions and can help tailor a care plan to your unique needs.

Call us on 1300 787 581.