How does the family home count towards the asset test if a spouse still lives there?

Financials, Fees & Funding
Assets & Pension
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In short...
For Support at Home, an ordinary family home is generally exempt, although homeownership can affect the thresholds used in the assessment. If one spouse enters residential aged care and the other remains at home, the property is also generally exempt while that spouse continues living there.
The details...
How does the family home count towards the asset test if a spouse still lives there?
For Support at Home, the family home you or your spouse live in is generally not counted as an assessable asset in the same way as savings, investments or an investment property.
This means that if one spouse receives Support at Home while both remain living at home, the value of the ordinary family home generally does not directly increase the person’s contribution rate.
Services Australia still asks whether you own your home because:
homeowners and non-homeowners can have different financial thresholds
special rules may apply to unusually large properties
part of the property may be used for business purposes
the property may have multiple titles
rental income or other ownership arrangements may need to be assessed.
The Support at Home financial assessment form generally does not ask for the market value of an ordinary home on a single title and no more than five acres. More information may be required where the property is larger, has several titles or is partly used for business.
What about the couple’s other assets?
Services Australia generally considers the combined financial circumstances of both partners, including assets such as:
bank accounts
term deposits
shares and managed investments
investment properties
superannuation and income streams
vehicles and other assessable property.
For couples, the assessment generally attributes half of the combined income and assets to each partner, regardless of whose name the asset is held in.
Practical example
Suppose a married couple:
lives together in a family home worth $900,000
has $150,000 in combined savings and investments
and one spouse receives Support at Home.
The ordinary family home would generally not be counted at its $900,000 market value. Services Australia would instead assess the couple’s relevant income and other assets and generally attribute half of the combined amount to the Support at Home participant.
Is this different from residential aged care?
Yes.
If one spouse moves permanently into an aged care home while the other spouse continues living in the family home, the home is generally treated as a protected home and is not counted in the residential aged care means assessment while the spouse remains there.
If the spouse later moves out, dies or the home is sold, the exemption may change and Services Australia should be notified.
The practical answer is:
For Support at Home, an ordinary family home is generally exempt, although homeownership can affect the thresholds used in the assessment. If one spouse enters residential aged care and the other remains at home, the property is also generally exempt while that spouse continues living there.
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
Takeaways
- Ask for details in writing and compare more than one option where possible.
- Confirm which fee rules apply before relying on a quoted amount.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
About Local Home Help
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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
https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/residential-aged-care/charging/fee-and-accommodation-arrangements
Last reviewed
20/7/26, 9:08 pm