Can a family member be paid to be my support worker under a Home Care Package?

Can a family member be paid to be my support worker under a Home Care Package or Support at Home?

Sometimes, but it is not the usual arrangement.

Under Support at Home, a provider can engage a participant’s family member to deliver funded aged care services, but government guidance says this should generally occur only when there are no suitable alternatives available.

Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program on 1 November 2025, so new arrangements are now considered under the Support at Home rules.

When might a family member be approved?

A provider may consider engaging a family member where factors such as these apply:

• the person may be at risk of harm or neglect without the service

• there are no other suitable workers available

• the person lives in a rural or remote area

• cultural or language needs make an appropriate external worker difficult to find

• the family member has the necessary qualifications and skills

• the family member meets all aged care worker requirements.

The official program manual specifically asks providers to consider whether the participant is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, as well as whether the family member is appropriately qualified.

This means family preference alone will not normally be enough. The provider must be satisfied that paying the family member is necessary and appropriate.

Who makes the decision?

Your registered Support at Home provider makes the decision.

You cannot simply pay a relative directly from your Support at Home budget or submit informal invoices for care they would ordinarily provide as a family member.

The provider would need to:

• agree that the arrangement is appropriate

• engage the family member as a worker or third-party worker

• define the services they will provide

• agree on the service price

• include the arrangement in your care plan and budget

• confirm each service was actually delivered

• meet tax, insurance, employment or contracting obligations

• monitor the quality and safety of the care.

The registered provider remains responsible for the services, even when they are delivered by a third-party worker.

Does the family member need qualifications?

They must have qualifications, training and competency appropriate to the service being delivered.

For example, a family member providing:

• domestic assistance may not require a formal aged care qualification, but must still be suitable and able to perform the work safely

• personal care may need relevant personal-care training and demonstrated competency

• medication assistance may require specific training and authorisation

• nursing must be provided by an appropriately registered nurse

• physiotherapy must be provided by a registered physiotherapist.

The family member must also meet applicable worker obligations, which may include:

• worker screening or police checks

• aged care Code of Conduct requirements

• infection-control and safety training

• appropriate insurance

• record keeping

• supervision

• incident and complaint processes.

A provider should not approve a family member for complex care merely because that person has been providing unpaid help informally.

What services could they be paid to provide?

Any paid service must:

• appear on the Support at Home service list

• be approved in your support plan

• address an assessed need

• be included in your care plan and individualised budget

• be delivered by someone appropriately qualified or competent.

Depending on the circumstances, this might include:

• personal care

• domestic assistance

• meal preparation

• social support

• transport

• respite

• some clinical services where the family member holds the required professional qualification.

A family member cannot generally be paid for ordinary family activities simply by relabelling them as aged care services.

For example, routine companionship, living in the same household or helping occasionally as part of the family relationship would not automatically become billable support.

Can I choose a family member under self-management?

Self-management gives you more involvement in choosing workers and arranging services, but it does not remove the program rules.

Your provider still remains accountable for:

• approving the worker

• confirming qualifications and screening

• agreeing on the price

• ensuring the service is approved

• checking that services were delivered

• making compliant claims.

Self-management does not allow unrestricted cash payments to relatives.

What are the risks providers will consider?

Paying a close family member can create conflicts that need to be managed.

The provider may consider:

• whether the older person is freely choosing the arrangement

• whether the person can raise concerns without affecting the family relationship

• whether the hours and prices can be independently verified

• whether the family member is under pressure or at risk of burnout

• whether paid and unpaid family responsibilities are clearly separated

• whether another worker could provide greater independence or privacy

• whether there is a backup plan if the family member becomes unavailable.

The arrangement should benefit the older person, not primarily operate as income support for the family.

What should I ask my provider?

Ask:

• Do you allow family members to be engaged as paid workers?

• What exceptional circumstances or evidence do you require?

• Why would an external worker not be suitable?

• What qualifications and screening must the family member have?

• Would they be an employee or an independent contractor?

• What rate would be charged to my budget?

• How much would the family member actually be paid?

• Are provider or administration costs included in that rate?

• How will hours and service delivery be recorded?

• What happens if the arrangement creates conflict or stops working?

• Who will provide backup care?

Ask for the decision and reasons in writing.

What if the provider refuses?

A provider may reasonably refuse if:

• other suitable workers are available

• the family member does not meet worker requirements

• the arrangement creates unmanaged safety or conflict risks

• the requested tasks are outside the approved support plan

• service delivery and claims cannot be properly verified.

You can ask the provider to explain its decision, seek advice from My Aged Care or speak with an independent aged care advocate through OPAN.

Changing to another provider does not guarantee approval, because the new provider must apply the same program and worker obligations.

Are there other ways a family carer can receive financial support?

A family member providing substantial unpaid care may separately qualify for:

• Carer Payment, where caring responsibilities are substantial enough to restrict full-time work

• Carer Allowance, for providing ongoing daily care.

These are Services Australia payments and are separate from the older person’s Support at Home budget. Eligibility depends on the care needs, income, assets and other requirements.

The practical answer is:

A family member can sometimes be paid through Support at Home, but usually only where other suitable workers are unavailable and the provider formally approves and engages them. They must meet the same qualification, screening, documentation and quality requirements as any other paid worker.

What should I do next?

Confirm the details with My Aged Care or the relevant provider, write down your questions and ask for important information in writing before making a decision.

Helpful Local Home Help resources

• Start with Liz

• Find your home care style

• How to choose a home help provider

• Find home care providers