Full Pensioner
Pay the lowest Support at Home participant contribution, with capped amounts designed to protect their income.
Support at Home Contributions Explained
Under the new program, older Australians may be asked to make a Support at Home client contribution (now known as participant contributions) toward their approved services, depending on their income and the type of care received.
Support at Home Contributions Explained
Under the new program, older Australians may be asked to make a Support at Home client contribution (now known as participant contributions) toward their approved services, depending on their income and the type of care received.
These Support at Home participant contributions help share the cost of care fairly, while ensuring government funding continues to cover essential clinical supports such as nursing and allied health.
New Support at Home contribution rates are designed to be transparent and consistent across service types, providing older Australians and their families greater confidence in their care budgets.
If you’re yet to learn about Support at Home and what this means for you, please refer to our detailed Support at Home guide here.
Simply, What Are Support at Home Contributions?
Support at Home contributions are participant payments introduced from 1 November 2025, charged as a percentage of each service that’s actually delivered under the new aged care model.
These aged care contributions apply only to independence and everyday-living services, while clinical supports, such as nursing and allied health, remain fully government funded aged care fees.
The amount each person pays depends on their personal income, assets, and pension status, in order to ensure contributions are fair and based on the individual’s ability to make payments. Contributions are one of the larger changes to the Support at Home Program but there are others you may want to learn about. Read our full Support at Home Changes guide here.
Who Has to Pay? Pensioners vs Self-Funded Retirees
The new Support at Home system aims to promote greater fairness among all eligible care recipients.
Support at Home contributions are based on a person’s financial situation:
Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) holders
Pay Support at Home participant contributions at assessed rates determined by income and assets.
Self-funded retirees without a CSHC
Contribute at the highest Support at Home contribution rates, but the new co-contributions are tied to specific services you use, not a daily fee like the previous Income Tested Fee (ITF) paid under the Home Care Package (HCP) program. It will not be more than you pay today.
Support at Home Breakdown
Importantly, clinical supports, such as nursing and allied health services, attract no participant contribution to Support at Home, ensuring essential health care remains fully government-funded for everyone.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how these Support at Home contributions work:
| Support at Home Contributions | Support at Home Participant Contribution | Additional Information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pensioners | Pay the lowest contribution | Capped and income-protected | Designed to protect those on fixed incomes |
| Part Pensioners & CSHC Holders | Pay assessed contributions | Based on income and assets | Rates determined by government assessment |
| Self-Funded Retirees (no CSHC) | Pay the highest contribution | No income protection cap | Contributions now tied to delivered services, replacing daily fees for fairer, transparent pricing |
| All Participants (Clinical Supports) | No contribution applies | $0 for clinical services | Clinical supports (e.g. nursing, allied health) are fully government funded |
What’s Covered by Support at Home Contributions?
Support at Home contributions are only applied to services that are actually delivered (and are collected directly by the provider at the time of service).
Each Support at Home participant contribution is calculated as a fixed percentage of the approved price per hour or unit, depending on the type of care received
- Clinical Supports: Nursing, physiotherapy, and allied health, are all examples of the types of clinical support services.
- Contribution rate: These have a 0% contribution rate, and remain completely government funded.
- Independence : Such as personal care, transport, and mobility support.
- Contribution rate: Moderate % rate.
- Everyday Living : Such as cleaning, gardening, and meal preparation.
- Contribution rate: Highest % rate.
- Contribution rate: These have a 0% contribution rate, and remain completely government funded.
- Contribution rate: Moderate % rate.
- Contribution rate: Highest % rate.
These Support at Home participant contributions ensure costs are shared fairly while maintaining access to essential, government-funded clinical care for all older Australians.
To see the full service list, including an overview of these three participant contributions, visit the Australian Government resource here.
Prefer to speak with someone over the phone? CareAbout has you covered. Simply call 13 13 00, and our dedicated team of Care Advisors, can walk you through these Support at Home changes – completely free of charge.
Why CareAbout?
We’re here to help Australians navigate aged care with confidence, because no one should ever have to face this journey alone.
We’re not a provider, but we’re here to match you with the right one. With over 900+ providers Australia-wide, finding quality aged care is stressful and overwhelming. That’s why we 1:1 match you with only a trusted, compliant provider from our handpicked panel of only vetted providers – based on your unique needs.
How Much Will I Pay? Contribution Rates Explained
For people grandfathered from Home Care Packages who were approved on or before 12 September 2024, you will pay the same or less than before the transition, ensuring no one is financially disadvantaged. This is commonly referred to as the “no worse off principle”.
Grandfathered Participants
If you were either receiving a package, on the National Priority System, or assessed as eligible for a package on or before 12 September 2024, then the following grandfathered contribution rates apply:
It is important to note that you won’t start paying fees if you don’t already, and if you do, your fees won’t increase under the “no worse off” principle. This will continue to apply if you are later reassessed into a higher Support at Home Classification.
| Clinical Supports | Independence | Everyday living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pensioners | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Part Pensioners & Self Funded CHSC Holders | 0% | 0-25% | 0-25% |
| Self-Funded Retirees (no CSHC) | 0% | 25% | 25% |
Transitional Participants
If you were approved for a Home Care Package between 12 September 2024 and 31 October 2025, then the following transitioned contribution rates apply:
| Clinical Supports | Independence | Everyday living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pensioners | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part Pensioners & Self Funded CHSC Holders | 0% | 5-50% | 17.5-80% |
| Self-Funded Retirees (no CSHC) | 0% | 50% | 80% |
New Participants
If you were approved from 1 November 2025 onwards, then the following contribution rates apply:
| Clinical Supports | Independence | Everyday living | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Pensioners | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
| Part Pensioners & Self Funded CHSC Holders | 0% | 5–50% | 17.5–80% |
| Self-Funded Retirees (no CSHC) | 0% | 50% | 80% |
All Support at Home participant contributions apply only to services actually delivered and are collected directly by providers under the approved Support at Home contribution rates.
A lifetime cap applies to all Support at Home participant contributions, but there is no annual cap, and each Support at Home participant contribution is collected by providers for services delivered.
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Transition Rules for Current Home Care Package Recipients
Anyone approved for a Home Care Package (HCP) on or before 12 September 2024 is protected by the “no worse-off” principle and will automatically transition to Support at Home on 1 November 2025, with their current funding level preserved.
Any unspent HCP funds carry forward and can continue to be used under the new program, including in advance of new Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) allocations where applicable.
A reassessment will only occur if a participant’s care needs change, ensuring a smooth and consistent transition.
Your transition contribution to Support at Home depends on which of the following three participant types you belong to:
Grandfathered Participants: If you entered the system before 12 September 2024 (with an existing Home Care Package, or were approved for a Home Care Package), you will not be required to make any contributions (if you’re not already contributing to the cost of care and supports).
Transitional Participants: If you were approved for a Home Care Package between 12 September 2024 to 31 October 2025, contributions will be payable from 1 November 2025.
New Participants: If you’ve been assessed and have entered the system after November 2025, service-based contributions are payable for all participants.
Current Home Care Package Recipients
To summarise how fees will be applied for Home Care Package recipients when moving over to Support at Home, please see our following table for an outline of: Approval dates, service status, and existing income-tested fees (ITFs), to determine what’s payable at the time of your transition.
| Approved for HCP before 12 Sep 2024? | Receiving HCP before 1 Nov 2025? | HCP income-tested fee? | Fees at transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | No | No fees; protected by “no worse-off” principle. |
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Discounted “no worse-off” principle rates apply. |
| No | Queue only | Queue only | Moves to standard Support at Home rates from Nov 2025. |
| No | Yes | Yes | Pays standard Support at Home rates. |
| No | Yes | No | Pays standard Support at Home rates. |
| No | No | No | Pays standard Support at Home rates. |
Contribution Caps, Indexation and Hardship
A lifetime cap of $130,000 applies to non-clinical Support at Home contributions across both home and residential aged care, with no annual cap in place.
All participant contributions whether you receive them in-home or in a residential aged care facility count toward this combined limit, and Services Australia tracks each person’s progress toward the cap.
Contribution Thresholds Indexed Twice Yearly: 20 March and 20 September
This is conducted to reflect income and cost of living changes. Participants experiencing financial difficulty can apply for hardship assistance through Services Australia.
And if approved, the government may cover some or all participant contribution Support at Home costs during the hardship period – of course, this is only determined through a formal assessment.
What’s Changing in November 2025?
From 1 November 2025, the Support at Home program will begin – you can read more about the new program here.
Under the new Support at Home system, Home Care Packages (HCPs) will be replaced – and later, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will be phased out (no earlier than 1 July 2027).
These Support at Home participant contributions help share the cost of care fairly, while ensuring government funding continues to cover essential clinical supports such as nursing and allied health.
Each Support at Home participant contribution is collected directly by providers, with clearer monthly statements that show charges, payments, and balances.
Alongside ongoing services, three short-term pathways Restorative Care, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM), and End-of-Life, will operate to give participants flexible, tailored support when their needs change.
Before vs After 1 November 2025:
After this transition to Support at Home, both participant contributions and contribution rates, will be fairer, more transparent, and tied only to the value of services received.
How Will Support at Home Contributions Be Collected?
Under the new system, Support at Home, contributions are collected directly by providers – and are only applied only to the services that are actually delivered.
Consumables billed at cost, such as equipment or supplies, follow the same percentage-based calculation as regular services.
The capped 10% care management fee is not included in individual service prices. It is charged separately, itemised on invoices in 15-minute increments, and paid to providers quarterly. This approach ensures transparency around how care coordination costs are applied, while keeping the pricing of core services clear and consistent for all participants.
A Takeaway of Support at Home Contributions for Seniors and Families
Under the new Support at Home program, all clinical services remain free at the point of use. This ensures essential health and nursing care continue to be fully government-funded.
Support at Home contributions will apply only to independence and everyday-living services, with Support at Home participant contributions and Support at Home participant contributions varying according to personal income, assets, and the eligibility cohorts.
The new Support at Home contribution rates are designed to be fair, transparent, and based on a person’s ability to pay.
Importantly, anyone approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 is protected under the “no worse-off” principle, meaning their participant contribution to Support at Home will either stay the same or be lower after transition.
“Contributions are one of the most common questions we get from families. The key thing to understand is that clinical services like nursing and allied health remain fully government-funded — you won’t pay a personal contribution for those. Where contributions apply is for everyday living services like cleaning, gardening and meal preparation. And if you’re on a full pension, your contributions will be significantly lower.”
— Calum Buchanan, Chief Operating Officer, CareAbout
10+ years in Australian aged care | Helping senior Australians navigate the aged care system
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