What should be included in a Support at Home service agreement?
A Support at Home service agreement should clearly state the services, complete prices, contribution and payment arrangements, rights, complaints process, cancellation rules, price-change conditions and how either party may end the agreement. Do not sign until all important promises, charges and conditions are recorded in writing.
Key points
- The agreement should explain services, prices, contributions, cancellation rules, responsibilities and how changes or complaints are handled.
- Local capacity and worker continuity matter as much as branding.
- Important prices and conditions should be in writing before services start.
A Support at Home service agreement should clearly explain:
which services the provider will deliver
the agreed price for each service
how participant contributions will be collected
the rights and responsibilities of both parties
how complaints, changes and ending services will be handled.
The agreement must be in place before or on the day services begin. It should be written in plain language and must not contain unfair contract terms.
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01Guide sectionThe parties to the agreement
The agreement should identify:
the participant
the registered Support at Home provider
the provider’s relevant service delivery branch
any active appointed decision maker signing for the participant
any registered supporter or other person the participant wants involved
key provider contact details.
An appointed decision maker can only enter into the agreement where their legal authority is active and covers that type of decision. A supporter who does not have separate legal authority cannot automatically sign for the participant.
02Guide sectionServices the provider will deliver
The agreement should include a list of the services the provider has agreed to supply.
This may include:
personal care
nursing
allied health
domestic assistance
transport
social support
respite
meals
assistive technology or home modifications
restorative or end-of-life pathway services, where applicable.
It should explain:
which services the provider offers
which approved services it does not offer
whether services are delivered directly or through associated providers or subcontractors
what happens if the provider stops delivering a service
how the participant would be transferred if the provider can no longer meet their needs.
Providers must document the services and pathways they offer and what will happen if services cease or the participant is transferred.
The precise schedule, frequency, worker preferences and care instructions may appear in the separate care plan and individualised budget rather than being repeated in full in the service agreement.
03Guide sectionAgreed prices
The agreement should contain a clear pricing schedule covering every service the participant may receive.
It should identify:
the unit price
whether the unit is per hour, visit, trip, item or another measure
minimum visit times
weekday, evening, weekend and public-holiday prices
how part-hours are billed
transport prices
prices for direct and permitted indirect nursing or allied health activities
any self-management overhead
any permitted AT-HM administration or coordination charge.
The prices must be reasonable, transparent and agreed before the service is delivered.
Where the participant’s price is higher than the provider’s published price, the agreement should identify the higher price and explain the reason for the difference.
04Guide sectionPrices that are not known in advance
Some one-off services may not have a final price when the agreement is prepared.
The agreement should explain the process for approving these costs, including:
how a quote will be obtained
who can approve it
how the price will be provided to the participant
how the participant’s agreement will be recorded
confirmation that the purchase will not proceed without prior agreement.
This may apply to:
assistive technology
home modifications
one-off clinical services
some transport arrangements
specialised subcontracted services.
The provider must give the price or price range in writing and obtain agreement before confirming the service or purchase.
05Guide sectionParticipant contributions and payment arrangements
The agreement should explain:
which services attract a participant contribution
the percentages determined by Services Australia
that clinical supports have no participant contribution
how contributions are calculated from each service price
when invoices will be issued
how and when payments will be collected
available payment methods
how refunds, credits and incorrect charges will be handled
what happens if the participant is experiencing financial hardship.
The agreement should also explain that 10% of an ongoing classification budget is allocated to pooled care management.
The provider should not use the agreement to create separate administration or worker travel fees that are not permitted under Support at Home.
06Practical actionBudget and statements
The agreement should explain how the provider will:
develop and monitor the participant’s individualised budget
claim government funding
collect participant contributions
provide monthly statements
identify each service delivered
show the unit price and quantity
show the participant contribution
show the amount deducted from government funding
report available and carried-over funds.
The individualised budget itself may be a separate document that is updated more frequently than the main agreement.
07Guide sectionCare management
The agreement should explain the provider’s care-management responsibilities, including:
assigning a care partner
developing and reviewing the care plan
coordinating services
monitoring needs and risks
monitoring the quarterly budget
responding when circumstances change
helping request a Support Plan Review or reassessment.
It should be clear that ordinary provider administration, rostering and worker allocation are not substitutes for personalised care management.
08Guide sectionRights and responsibilities
The agreement must state the rights and responsibilities of both the participant and the provider.
The provider must also give the participant information about:
the Statement of Rights
the Aged Care Code of Conduct
privacy and confidentiality
dignity, choice and independence
access to supporters and advocates
making complaints without retaliation
receiving safe and quality care.
My Aged Care states that providers must give participants a copy of the Statement of Rights and the Aged Care Code of Conduct.
Participant responsibilities may include:
treating workers respectfully
providing a reasonably safe work environment
giving relevant information about risks
advising the provider of changes
paying properly assessed contributions
giving reasonable notice of cancellations.
These responsibilities should not remove or reduce the participant’s legal rights.
09Guide sectionWorker arrangements
The agreement should explain relevant service delivery conditions, such as:
whether workers are employees or subcontractors
whether the participant can request a particular worker
what happens if the regular worker is unavailable
whether the participant can refuse an unsuitable worker
how replacement workers are arranged
how worker preferences will be considered.
Preferences such as worker gender, language, culture and preferred visit times should also be reflected in the care plan.
10Guide sectionCancellations and missed services
The agreement should state:
how much cancellation notice is required
whether any cancellation charge may apply
when the participant will not be charged
what happens when the provider cancels
how replacement visits will be arranged
what happens when a worker arrives late or leaves early
how hospital admissions and other unexpected absences are handled.
The terms should be fair, transparent and consistent with Support at Home claiming rules.
11Guide sectionPrice changes and agreement variations
The agreement should explain:
how prices may change
how much notice will be given
the method used to calculate any planned increase
the reason for the increase
how the participant’s informed agreement will be obtained
what happens if the participant does not accept the change.
A provider cannot simply impose a new price because the agreement contains a broad clause allowing changes at any time.
The Aged Care Quality Standards require providers to explain proposed changes and obtain informed consent before changing agreed fees or charges.
If the participant does not agree, the provider must negotiate and give detailed reasons for the proposed change.
12Guide sectionComplaints and disputes
The agreement should explain:
how to make a complaint
who within the provider handles complaints
expected response timeframes
how unresolved disputes will be escalated
the participant’s right to involve an advocate
how to contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
assurance that complaining will not result in retaliation or reduced care.
My Aged Care identifies the complaints process as one of the required components of the agreement.
13Guide sectionPrivacy and information sharing
The agreement should explain:
what information the provider collects
how it will be used and stored
who it may be shared with
which family members or supporters are authorised to receive information
how consent can be changed or withdrawn
how the participant can access their records.
The agreement should not assume that all relatives are entitled to information.
14Guide sectionEmergencies, incidents and service continuity
The agreement should address:
who to contact during business hours
any after-hours contact arrangements
how urgent health or safety concerns will be escalated
what happens when essential care cannot be delivered
how incidents are managed
how continuity of care will be maintained.
Once an agreement is entered into, the provider is generally expected to continue delivering services while the participant needs them, subject to the lawful circumstances in which services may be ceased. My Aged Care describes this as continuity of care.
15Guide sectionEnding the agreement or changing providers
The agreement should clearly explain:
how the participant can end the agreement
any required notice period
that no entry or exit fee can be charged
how records and funding information will be transferred
how unspent funding will be handled
how essential services will continue during the transfer
the limited circumstances in which the provider can cease services
how much written notice the provider must give.
The provider should not use unreasonable notice terms to prevent or delay a participant from changing providers.
16Guide sectionSelf management terms
Where the participant self-manages some services, the agreement should also cover:
which responsibilities are managed by the participant
which responsibilities remain with the registered provider
how participant sourced workers are screened and approved
how invoices are submitted and paid
the provider’s oversight responsibilities
any self management overhead
how the overhead is calculated
what happens if the third-party worker becomes unavailable
how the arrangement can be changed or ended.
Any overhead must be clearly included in the agreed final service price.
17Guide sectionAT-HM arrangements
Where assistive technology or home modifications are involved, the agreement or related written approval process should explain:
how items and modifications will be quoted
prescriptions and professional assessments
wrap around services
equipment trials, installation or training
administration or coordination charges
participant contributions
who owns, maintains or repairs the item
what happens if a modification costs more than the approved funding.
Permitted administration or coordination charges must remain within the applicable AT-HM caps and be agreed before purchase.
18Guide sectionReviewing the agreement
For ongoing services, the provider must review the agreement:
at least every 12 months
whenever the participant or active appointed decision maker requests a review.
The agreement may also need to change following:
a change in services
a price change
a new self management arrangement
a change in provider operations
a change to the participant’s legal decision-maker
legislative or program changes.
The participant should receive a current copy of the agreement and any agreed variations.
19Guide sectionBefore signing
Check that:
every price is complete and understandable
minimum visit times are disclosed
worker travel and ordinary administration are included in service prices
no blank pricing fields remain
verbal promises made by an intake or sales team are documented
cancellation and price change clauses are fair
the provider’s local availability has been confirmed
the complaint and exit processes are clear
the participant has received enough time to seek advice.
The provider must give the participant time to consider the agreement, seek independent advice and make an informed decision. It must also provide information in an accessible form that reflects the person’s language and communication needs.
20Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Take the agreement away and read it before signing.
Highlight every price, cancellation rule and process for price changes.
Ask for unclear wording to be explained or amended in writing.
21Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
22Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
Check providers through My Aged Care. 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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