How do I apply for Commonwealth Home Support Programme services?

Commonwealth Home Support Programme
Navigating CHSP
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In short...
To apply for Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) services, you need to contact My Aged Care and complete an aged care assessment. If you are found eligible, you will receive approval for specific services and can then choose a suitable provider.
The details...
How do I apply for Commonwealth Home Support Programme services?
Applying for CHSP services usually involves four main steps.
Step 1: Contact My Aged Care
The first step is to contact My Aged Care.
You can:
call 1800 200 422
apply online through the My Aged Care website
ask a family member, friend, GP or healthcare professional to help you.
My Aged Care will ask questions about:
your health
daily activities
living arrangements
support from family or carers
the difficulties you are currently experiencing.
Step 2: Complete an aged care assessment
If it appears that government-funded aged care may help, an assessment will be arranged.
The assessment considers:
what tasks you can manage independently
areas where support may help you remain living safely at home
your personal goals and preferences
whether CHSP or another program, such as Support at Home, may be more appropriate.
During the assessment, you may be asked about:
cleaning and household tasks
meals and nutrition
mobility and falls
personal care
memory or cognition
social isolation
support available from family members.
Step 3: Receive your assessment outcome
If you are approved for CHSP services, you will receive:
a Notice of Decision letter
a support plan
information about the services you have been approved for
referral codes for each approved service.
Approval does not automatically mean services will start immediately, as providers may have waiting lists.
Step 4: Choose a provider
Once approved, you can:
ask your assessor to refer you to providers
search for providers yourself
compare providers based on fees, waiting times and services offered
choose the provider that best suits your needs.
You do not have to accept the first provider you speak with.
Who can apply?
You may be eligible if you are:
aged 65 years or older
an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years or older
aged 50 years or older and homeless or at risk of homelessness.
You must also meet Australia's residency requirements for government-funded aged care.
What information should I have ready?
It can be helpful to have:
your Medicare card
contact details for your GP
information about your medications and health conditions
details of any support you currently receive
information about family members or representatives involved in your care.
What if my needs are urgent?
If there is an immediate risk to your health or safety, tell My Aged Care when you make contact.
In some situations, urgent referrals or priority assessments may be available.
What should I do next?
If you think you may need support:
Make a list of the everyday tasks that have become difficult.
Consider what goals are most important to you, such as remaining independent, reducing falls or getting help with meals.
Contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 or apply online.
If you are helping a parent, partner or friend, ask whether they would like you to be recorded as a representative so you can assist with future conversations.
Helpful Local Home Help resources
Check the official guidance
Application processes and eligibility rules can change. Always confirm your circumstances with My Aged Care.
Official guidance:
Takeaways
You apply for CHSP through My Aged Care.
An aged care assessment is required before services can be approved.
If approved, you will receive a support plan and referral codes.
You can choose your own provider and compare different organisations.
Provider waiting lists may affect how quickly services begin.
If your needs are more complex, Support at Home may be more appropriate.
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