Can CHSP fund equipment or small home modifications?
Yes. If you are assessed and approved for these services, CHSP may help fund eligible equipment, assistive technology and home adjustments that support safety and independence. Equipment and products are capped at $1,000 per client per financial year, while the government contribution toward home adjustments is capped at $15,000 per client per financial year. You may need to pay a client contribution and any cost above the applicable cap.
Key points
CHSP can fund eligible equipment and home adjustments where you are assessed and approved.
Equipment and products are capped at $1,000 per client per financial year.
The government contribution toward home adjustments is capped at $15,000 per client per financial year.
Delivery and installation count toward the equipment cap.
You must pay any amount above the relevant cap.
A client contribution may also apply.
Not every provider supplies every type of equipment or modification.
Support at Home participants generally access larger equipment and modification needs through the separate AT-HM scheme.
Yes. The Commonwealth Home Support Program can provide eligible assistive technology, equipment and home adjustments where these have been identified through your aged care assessment.
Under CHSP, these services are divided into two main areas:
Equipment and products: assistive technology that helps you safely perform everyday tasks.
Home adjustments: modifications to your home that reduce accident risks and support independent living.
You must be assessed and approved for the relevant CHSP service before receiving government-subsidised support. Approval for another service, such as cleaning or transport, does not automatically mean you are approved for equipment or home adjustments.
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01Guide sectionWhat equipment can CHSP help with?
Eligible equipment may include products that help with:
mobility
personal care
managing bodily functions
household and domestic activities
communication and information
completing everyday tasks safely.
Examples may include:
walking frames
shower chairs
over-toilet aids
basic mobility products
personal safety equipment
other assistive products linked to an assessed need.
The exact item must be suitable for your circumstances and included within the CHSP service rules. Some equipment may require assessment or recommendation by an allied health professional.
Equipment may be provided through either a loan or purchase arrangement. Not every CHSP provider supplies every product, so you may need to contact a provider funded for equipment and products in your area.
02Guide sectionHow much equipment funding is available?
CHSP clients who cannot purchase the required items independently may receive up to $1,000 in total equipment and product support per financial year.
This limit:
applies to the combined cost of all equipment received during the year
includes delivery and installation costs
applies whether equipment is purchased or loaned
is not a separate $1,000 allowance for each item.
For example, a walking frame and shower chair may both be funded where their combined cost, including delivery or installation, remains within the annual limit.
You must privately pay any amount above the $1,000 annual cap.
03Guide sectionWhat home modifications can CHSP fund?
CHSP calls this service home adjustments. It covers eligible modifications intended to prevent accidents and help you continue living independently.
Depending on your assessment and the applicable service rules, examples may include:
grab rails
handrails
small ramps
changes to improve bathroom safety
other modifications needed to make the home safer and more accessible.
The work must be related to an assessed aged care need. It must also comply with relevant building requirements and be completed by appropriately qualified workers.
04Guide sectionHow much home-adjustment funding is available?
The Australian Government contribution toward CHSP home adjustments is capped at $15,000 per client per financial year.
Any cost above this amount must be paid privately by the client.
The cap does not mean every person approved for home adjustments automatically receives $15,000. The work must still:
relate to an assessed need
be eligible under the CHSP service rules
be available through an appropriately funded provider
be agreed with the provider.
05Guide sectionWill I have to contribute toward the cost?
Possibly.
CHSP providers may charge a client contribution for equipment, products or home adjustments. The amount must be agreed with you in writing and included in your service agreement.
There is no formal means test for CHSP contributions. Providers must consider affordability and must have a publicly available financial-hardship policy explaining how you can request a reduction or waiver.
Ask the provider to clearly separate:
the government-funded amount
your normal client contribution
any cost above the annual funding cap
assessment, delivery and installation costs.
06Guide sectionWhat if I am moving to Support at Home?
A current CHSP client may continue receiving approved CHSP equipment, products or home adjustments while waiting for Support at Home funding or funding through the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme.
Once AT-HM services begin, the person can no longer continue accessing CHSP equipment and products or home adjustments.
A new client who has been approved for Support at Home but was not already approved for CHSP generally cannot use CHSP equipment or home-adjustment services while waiting for AT-HM funding. These services are also excluded from the urgent CHSP pathway for Support at Home participants.
07Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Check your My Aged Care support plan to see whether you are approved for:
equipment and products
home adjustments
an allied health assessment related to the item or modification.
If you are not approved, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 and explain:
what task you cannot complete safely
what risks exist in the home
whether you have recently fallen or nearly fallen
what equipment or modification has been recommended
whether an occupational therapist or other health professional has assessed the need.
Before agreeing to an item or modification, ask the provider for a written quote showing:
the total cost
the government subsidy
your contribution
any amount above the funding cap
delivery, installation and assessment costs
whether the item will be loaned or purchased.
08Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
09Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
Eligibility, provider availability and individual costs vary. Check your approval and obtain a written quote before purchasing equipment or commencing home modifications.
Official guidance:
The current CHSP Manual lists equipment and products and home adjustments as available CHSP services, subject to assessment, service rules and annual funding caps.
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