Why do Support at Home providers charge different hourly rates?
Providers charge different rates because their labour, travel, supervision and operating costs differ. Use the government’s national median prices as a comparison point, but also examine what the rate includes, the quality and reliability of the service, and how many hours your budget will actually purchase.
Key points
- Providers set their own prices, so rates can differ because of staffing, travel, service model, location and operating costs.
- The agreed provider price and the participant's contribution percentage are different things.
- Statements and written price information should allow the charge to be checked.
Support at Home providers are currently allowed to set their own service prices.
This means two providers may charge different amounts for the same type of service, such as cleaning, personal care or physiotherapy.
However, prices must be:
reasonable
transparent
based on the cost of delivering the service
published on My Aged Care and the provider’s website
agreed with the participant before the service is delivered.
The provider must also explain what is included in the price.
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01Guide sectionWhat is included in the hourly price?
Under Support at Home, the advertised price is generally intended to cover the full cost of delivering the service.
This may include:
the worker’s wages
superannuation and leave entitlements
travel time and vehicle costs
administration
human resources and recruitment
worker screening and training
insurance
clinical supervision
subcontractor costs
technology and record keeping
a reasonable operating margin.
Unlike the former Home Care Packages system, providers do not charge a separate package management fee on top of each direct service. Those operating costs may now be incorporated into the service price.
02Guide sectionWhy might one provider cost more?
A higher rate may reflect:
higher worker wages
permanent employees rather than casual or subcontracted workers
more experienced or specialised staff
longer travel distances
rural or regional delivery
stronger clinical supervision
better continuity of workers
shorter minimum visits
services delivered outside normal business hours
weekend or public-holiday penalty rates
additional language or cultural capability
complex care requirements.
A higher price is not automatically unreasonable. Equally, a price is not automatically reasonable merely because it falls within the government’s published range.
The provider should be able to explain why its price differs from other providers.
03Guide sectionWhat are the latest government benchmark prices?
(at time of publication 14-7-2026) The most recent national summary available was published in May 2026 and is based on prices providers actually claimed between 1 November and 31 December 2025.
The figures below are national weekday prices for one hour services. They include the amount paid by the participant and the amount claimed from government funding.
Personal care
For assistance with self-care and activities of daily living:
national median: $115 per hour
middle price range: $107 to $120 per hour
For assistance with self-administration of medication:
national median: $110 per hour
middle price range: $63 to $119 per hour
Domestic assistance
For general house cleaning:
national median: $110 per hour
middle price range: $100 to $117 per hour
For laundry services:
national median: $95 per hour
middle price range: $65 to $109 per hour
For shopping assistance:
national median: $110 per hour
middle price range: $100 to $125 per hour
Social support
For individual social support:
national median: $111 per hour
middle price range: $105 to $120 per hour
For accompanied activities:
national median: $122 per hour
middle price range: $110 to $125 per hour
For cultural support:
national median: $129 per hour
middle price range: $95 to $173 per hour
Respite
For flexible respite:
national median: $115 per hour
middle price range: $105 to $121 per hour
For community or centre-based respite:
national median: $130 per hour
middle price range: $100 to $196 per hour
Nursing
For a registered nurse:
national median: $180 per hour
middle price range: $160 to $195 per hour
For an enrolled nurse:
national median: $145 per hour
middle price range: $138 to $165 per hour
Allied health
For physiotherapy:
national median: $194 per hour
middle price range: $143 to $224 per hour
For occupational therapy:
national median: $222 per hour
middle price range: $190 to $255 per hour
For podiatry:
national median: $165 per hour
middle price range: $120 to $215 per hour
For dietetics or nutrition services:
national median: $220 per hour
middle price range: $165 to $264 per hour
For speech pathology:
national median: $230 per hour
middle price range: $200 to $270 per hour
Gardening and home maintenance
For gardening:
national median: $118 per hour
middle price range: $98 to $143 per hour
For assistance with home maintenance and repairs:
national median: $150 per hour
middle price range: $113 to $300 per hour
The government describes the middle range as the area between the 25th and 75th percentiles. This means half of reported prices fell within that range.
04Guide sectionAre these price caps?
No.
The published national medians and ranges are comparison information only. They are not:
mandatory prices
recommended prices
maximum prices
proof that a price is reasonable.
The government had previously planned to introduce price caps from 1 July 2026, but implementation has been deferred while the market stabilises.
Providers currently continue to set their own prices, subject to requirements that those prices be reasonable and transparent.
05Guide sectionCan providers charge above the published range?
Yes, but they should be able to justify the rate.
A price above the national range may be reasonable where, for example:
the participant lives in a remote location
the worker has specialised qualifications
the service requires significant travel
complex clinical supervision is required
the service is delivered on a weekend or public holiday.
The government summary itself states that a rate above the range is not automatically unreasonable. The relevant question is whether the price reflects the genuine cost and scope of delivering the service.
06Guide sectionCan providers charge different participants different prices?
Potentially, yes.
A provider’s agreed price may differ from its published standard price because of:
location
service complexity
delivery time
specialised worker requirements
additional travel.
However, any higher price must be clearly identified in the service agreement, together with the reason for the difference. The participant must agree to the price.
07Guide sectionDo shorter visits cost exactly half the hourly rate?
Not always.
A 30-minute service may cost more than half the one-hour price because the provider still incurs:
travel time
scheduling costs
minimum worker payments
administration
documentation requirements.
For example, the national median for one hour of personal care was $115, while the median for a 30-minute personal-care service was $65-not $57.50.
Check the provider’s minimum visit time and price for each billable unit.
08Guide sectionWhat should I compare?
Do not compare only the hourly rate.
Also ask:
Is travel included?
Is there a minimum visit duration?
Are weekends more expensive?
Does the price include indirect clinical work?
Are workers employees or subcontractors?
Can the provider supply a regular worker?
What happens when the usual worker is unavailable?
Are cancellation charges applied?
Can the provider actually deliver the service when required?
How many service hours will the price allow within the quarterly budget?
A cheaper provider may offer poor continuity or limited availability. A more expensive provider may provide better qualified workers or stronger clinical support.
The goal is value and suitability not simply the lowest price.
09Guide sectionWhat if the provider’s price seems too high?
Ask the provider:
what the price includes
why it is higher than the national median
whether travel or subcontractor costs are included
whether a lower-cost service option is available
how the price affects the number of hours available from your budget.
Providers must publish the price they most frequently charge for each service and keep that information current. The government and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission monitor provider pricing and may investigate prices that appear unreasonable or cannot be adequately justified.
You can also:
compare providers through My Aged Care
seek help from OPAN on 1800 700 600
complain to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission on 1800 951 822
change providers if another provider offers better value and suitable care.
Support at Home providers cannot charge an entry or exit fee when you change providers.
10Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Write down the services, times and practical outcomes you need.
Ask at least two providers for written prices and an example service schedule.
Check the agreement, local availability and worker backup arrangements before signing.
11Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
12Guide sectionCheck the official guidance
Check current official costs and pricing 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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