Can Support at Home pay for meal preparation?
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In short...
Yes. Support may include help preparing meals or accessing suitable meal services when this is in your support plan.
The details...
Can Support at Home pay for meal preparation?
Yes. Support at Home can pay for approved meal preparation and meal delivery services when they are included in your support plan and help you continue living safely and independently at home.
Meal support can include:
a worker helping you prepare and cook meals in your home
help with peeling, chopping, handling utensils or safely using kitchen equipment
preparing meals that meet health, swallowing, cultural or religious requirements
supplying and delivering suitable pre-prepared meals
support to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration.
Support at Home generally does not pay for:
ordinary groceries or meal ingredients
takeaway food or restaurant delivery
meals for other people in your household
food costs that you would normally pay yourself.
This means the program may fund the assistance involved in preparing or delivering the meal, but you will generally remain responsible for the cost of the food or ingredients.
How are delivered meals funded?
Delivered meals are calculated differently from in-home meal preparation because ordinary food is not funded through Support at Home.
The cost of a delivered meal is generally divided into:
30% for the food component, which the participant pays
70% for preparing and delivering the meal, which can be supported through the person’s Support at Home funding.
The participant’s assessed everyday living contribution rate is then applied to the 70% preparation and delivery component.
This means the participant always pays the initial 30% food component, plus an additional contribution based on their pension and financial status.
Example: an $18 delivered meal
For a delivered meal costing $18:
The food component is 30%, or $5.40
The preparation and delivery component is 70%, or $12.60
The participant’s assessed contribution percentage is applied to the $12.60 preparation and delivery component—not to the full $18.
Full pensioner
A full pensioner has an everyday living contribution rate of 17.5%.
Food component paid by participant: $5.40
17.5% contribution on the $12.60 service component: $2.21
Total paid by participant: approximately $7.61
Government funding pays: approximately $10.39
Part pensioner
A part pensioner’s contribution rate is individually assessed and may be between 17.5% and 80%.
For example, if the person’s assessed contribution rate is 40%:
Food component paid by participant: $5.40
40% contribution on the $12.60 service component: $5.04
Total paid by participant: $10.44
Government funding pays: $7.56
Self-funded person without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
The everyday living contribution rate is 80%.
Food component paid by participant: $5.40
80% contribution on the $12.60 service component: $10.08
Total paid by participant: $15.48
Government funding pays: $2.52
The meal provider should clearly explain:
the total price of each meal
the amount treated as the food component
the amount treated as preparation and delivery
the participant contribution applied to the service component
the amount claimed from Support at Home funding.
People covered by transitional arrangements or the no worse off principle may have different contribution rates.
How much will I need to contribute?
Meal preparation and meal delivery are classed as everyday living services. Your personal contribution is therefore based on the everyday living contribution rate set after your income and assets assessment.
The standard rates are:
Full pensioner: 17.5%
Part pensioner or eligible Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holder: between 17.5% and 80%
Self-funded person without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card: 80%
Person who does not disclose the required income and asset information: 80%
The government pays the remaining percentage from your Support at Home funding.
Example: one hour of meal preparation
The current national median price for one hour of meal preparation is approximately $100, with most reported weekday prices ranging from $70 to $115. These are comparison figures, not mandatory prices.
For a meal-preparation service priced at $100:
Full pensioner
A full pensioner contributes 17.5%.
Participant pays: $17.50
Government funding pays: $82.50
Part pensioner
A part pensioner’s rate is individually assessed and could fall anywhere between 17.5% and 80%.
For example, if Services Australia sets the contribution rate at 40%:
Participant pays: $40
Government funding pays: $60
Being a part pensioner does not automatically produce a particular rate. The actual percentage depends on the person’s assessed income and assets.
Self-funded person without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
The contribution rate is 80%.
Participant pays: $80
Government funding pays: $20
These amounts are in addition to any groceries or ingredients the person purchases.
What should I do next?
Check whether this service type appears in the Notice of Decision and support plan.
Ask the provider how it will be delivered, how often and at what agreed price.
Request a Support Plan Review if the service is needed but is not currently approved.
Helpful Local Home Help resources
Check the official guidance
Check the official Support at Home service 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.
Takeaways
- Yes. Support may include help preparing meals or accessing suitable meal services when this is in your support plan.
- The service must match an approved assessed need.
- Availability, price and participant contribution can still vary.
About Local Home Help
How Providers Are Listed
How providers appear on Local Home Help Local Home Help helps families discover home support services available in their area. Providers may appear on the site in a few different ways. Some providers create and manage their own listing on the platform. Others may appear based on publicly available information about services operating in a particular region. This helps families see a broader view of support options available locally. Where possible, we encourage providers to claim and manage their listing so information such as services offered, contact details and service areas remain accurate and up to date. There are no paid or enhanced listings on Local Home Help, and there never will be. Claiming or managing a listing has no effect on a provider's visibility, ranking, or how often it appears in a consumer's personalised shortlist, it simply keeps the information families see accurate and current. Local Home Help does not charge consumers to access the platform. We may generate revenue in other ways in the future, but none of these will ever influence which providers a consumer sees, how they're ranked, or what appears in their shortlist. Provider visibility is, and will remain, based solely on relevance to each family's stated needs. What does not influence Liz There are no paid or enhanced listings on Local Home Help, not now, and not in the future. No provider can pay for a higher position in Liz results, a better ranking, or inclusion in a consumer's shortlist. This is a permanent commitment, not a current-state description. Claiming or updating a profile does not improve a provider's ranking. It gives Liz more accurate information about the provider's services, coverage and care model, which can make the explanation of why a provider matched clearer, but it has no effect on whether or how highly that provider appears. Local Home Help intends to generate revenue in other ways in the future - for example through tools built for providers, or products separate from the consumer matching experience. None of these will influence which providers appear in Liz's results, how they're ranked, or what a consumer sees in their personalised shortlist. Visibility and ranking are based solely on the fit factors described above, and nothing else. This reflects the platform's core ethos: Local Home Help is built consumer-first. Every design and revenue decision is made so that what a family sees from Liz is the most relevant outcome for them. Never the most profitable outcome for Local Home Help or a provider.
Independence Statement
Our independence Local Home Help is designed to help families navigate the often confusing world of home support and aged care services. The platform aims to present information in a clear and balanced way so families can better understand the types of help available and where to find it. While providers may appear on the platform, Local Home Help does not recommend one provider over another. The decision about which service may be suitable will always depend on individual circumstances. Families are encouraged to contact providers directly, ask questions and make their own enquiries before making a decision. Our focus is to make the process of understanding and finding support at home easier. Local Home Help does not accept payment of any kind in exchange for provider visibility, ranking, or shortlist placement, and never will. Any future revenue Local Home Help generates will come from sources entirely separate from how providers are matched to consumers.
Quality Signals
What to look for when choosing a provider Finding the right support service can take time. When considering a provider, families may wish to look for signs of quality such as: Clear information about services offered Transparent pricing or funding options Experience supporting older people at home Relevant professional qualifications where appropriate Positive feedback or reputation in the community Willingness to answer questions about care and services It is often helpful to speak with more than one provider before making a decision. Local Home Help aims to provide a starting point for exploring services, but the best choice will depend on the needs and preferences of the individual receiving support.
About the Author
Local Home Help Editorial Team
This article was created by Local Home Help to help Australian families better understand aged care and home support options in plain English.
Our content is based on publicly available information from:
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My Aged Care
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Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
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Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
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Provider pricing schedules and operational experience within the aged care sector.
Local Home Help is an independent consumer information platform and does not provide medical, legal or financial advice.
Important information
Aged care rules, fees, eligibility requirements and program arrangements can change. The information on this page is general guidance only and may not apply to every person or situation.
Before making a financial, legal or care decision, check the latest information with My Aged Care, Services Australia, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, or another appropriate official source.
Local Home Help does not provide legal, financial, medical or clinical advice.
Source data
Last reviewed
20/7/26, 9:08 pm