What does self-managed home care mean under Support at Home?
Self-managed Support at Home gives you greater control over choosing and arranging services, but your registered provider still holds responsibility for care management, safety, compliance, government claims and oversight. You can self-manage as much or as little as suits your circumstances.
Key points
- Self-management gives you greater involvement in choosing workers, arranging services and monitoring your budget.
- The registered provider remains accountable even when the participant organises more of the care.
- Self-management works best when responsibilities and backup arrangements are clear.
Self-management allows you to take responsibility for selected parts of your Support at Home arrangement.
Depending on your preferences and abilities, you may choose to:
find and select your own workers
arrange visit times directly
choose third-party service providers
monitor parts of your quarterly budget
approve invoices
manage communication with workers
decide how much of the day-to-day administration you want to handle.
You do not have to self-manage everything. You can self-manage only the parts you feel comfortable handling. The agreed arrangement should be documented in your care plan.
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01Guide sectionDo I still need a registered provider?
Yes.
Support at Home uses a single provider model. You must still have one registered provider responsible for coordinating your funded services and claiming government payments.
Self-management does not mean the government pays the funding directly into your bank account.
Your registered provider remains responsible for:
care management
service quality and safety
checking that workers are suitable
ensuring services are approved and lawful
managing government claims
providing monthly statements
monitoring risks and incidents
meeting aged care regulatory requirements.
The provider remains responsible even where you have selected the worker yourself.
02Practical actionCan I choose my own workers?
Yes, where your provider agrees that the arrangement is suitable.
You may be able to select:
an independent support worker
a cleaner
a gardener
an allied health professional
another third-party organisation.
The registered provider must approve and engage the worker under the Support at Home arrangement before government funding can be used.
The provider may need to check:
identity and worker screening
qualifications and registrations
insurance
experience and competence
pricing
compliance with the Aged Care Code of Conduct
incident and complaint procedures.
A participant can ask to use a third-party worker on a one-off or ongoing basis through self-management.
03Guide sectionCan I directly employ the worker?
The exact arrangement depends on the provider.
In many self-managed models, the participant finds and chooses the worker, but the registered provider formally engages or contracts with them and processes the invoice.
Ask whether the provider allows:
independent contractors
sole traders
workers from online platforms
participant-employed workers
family members in exceptional circumstances.
Do not assume that any worker you select can automatically be paid from Support at Home funding.
04Guide sectionCan the provider charge an overhead?
Yes.
Where you directly source a third-party worker under an agreed self-management arrangement, the provider may include an overhead of up to 10% of the third-party service cost.
The overhead covers work such as:
checking and onboarding the worker
verifying invoices
processing claims and payments
monitoring quality and safety
maintaining regulatory oversight.
The overhead should be proportionate to the work performed, agreed in advance and included in the final service price.
For example, if your chosen cleaner charges $70 an hour, the provider may apply an overhead of up to $7. The final service price would be up to $77 an hour.
This is different from a provider choosing its own subcontractor as part of its normal service model. In that situation, ordinary administration and subcontracting costs should already be included in the provider’s standard unit price.
05Guide sectionDoes self-management remove the 10% care-management allocation?
No.
For ongoing Support at Home participants, 10% of the quarterly classification budget is still allocated to pooled care management.
This applies even if you self-manage most of your direct services.
Your care partner must continue to:
maintain and review your care plan
monitor risks
help manage your budget
respond when your needs change
provide direct care-management contact each month
help arrange a Support Plan Review where necessary.
Official guidance confirms that care management remains mandatory regardless of how much the participant self-manages.
06Guide sectionWhat remains your responsibility?
Your responsibilities depend on the agreed model, but may include:
finding suitable workers
interviewing and selecting them
arranging shifts
confirming that services occurred
checking invoices
monitoring spending
advising the provider about problems
arranging replacements when your preferred worker is unavailable.
The provider should clearly explain which tasks belong to you and which remain its responsibility.
07Guide sectionWhat are the possible benefits?
Self-management may provide:
greater choice of workers
better continuity
more control over schedules
access to local or specialised workers
lower service prices in some cases
greater flexibility in how approved services are delivered.
It can be particularly useful where you already know a suitable worker or want services from a small local business.
08Guide sectionWhat are the possible disadvantages?
Self-management may involve more work and responsibility.
Possible difficulties include:
finding and checking workers
managing schedules and cancellations
reviewing invoices
arranging replacements
resolving worker disputes
understanding funding and service rules
ensuring the budget remains sustainable.
It may not be suitable where the participant has complex clinical needs, limited informal support or does not want the administrative burden.
09Guide sectionCan I stop self-managing?
Yes.
Self-management is a choice, not a permanent commitment.
You can ask the provider to:
reduce the parts you manage
take over scheduling or worker sourcing
move back to fully provider-managed services.
The care plan and service agreement should be updated to reflect the new arrangement.
10Practical actionQuestions to ask a provider
Ask:
Which parts of my care can I self-manage?
Can I choose my own workers?
What checks must workers complete?
Who formally contracts with the worker?
What overhead do you charge?
How is the overhead calculated?
How are invoices submitted and paid?
Who arranges replacement workers?
What happens if a worker causes harm or fails to attend?
Which responsibilities remain with the provider?
Can I return to provider-managed care later?
11Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Ask the provider for its self-management policy and full price list.
Clarify which tasks you will perform and which remain the provider's responsibility.
Confirm backup arrangements before bringing in a preferred worker.
12Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
13Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
Check the current Support at Home management guidance. Aged care rules, funding amounts and program guidance can change, so check the current official information before making an important care or financial decision.
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