Support at Home is the Australian Government’s in-home aged care program. It helps eligible older people access services so they can remain living safely and independently at home. The program includes different types of support, including clinical care, independence supports and everyday living services. Some services may be fully funded by the government, while others may require a personal contribution depending on the person’s circumstances. Not sure where to start? Answe

Support at Home Wait Times Blow Out - But The Real Bottleneck May Be More Complex Than The Headlines The first mandatory quarterly wait-times report under the new Aged Care Act has landed, and the headlines were immediate: Older Australians are waiting close to a year for Support at Home services. That concern is real. For many families, the experience remains far too slow. But the report also reveals something important: Australia’s aged care bottleneck is not sitting in one

The Old Problem: ITCF Was a Real Barrier Under the old system, many people paid an Income Tested Care Fee (ITCF) of: $20–$30+ per day $140–$210+ per week And that was paid regardless of how much support you actually used. So people did one of two things: Used more services than they needed to “get value” Or avoided the system altogether and paid privately Both were completely rational. What’s Changed: Clinical Care Is Now $0 Under Support at Home, the biggest shift is simple:

Should Self-Funded Retirees Apply for Aged Care Support? Many self-funded retirees assume aged care support isn’t relevant to them. The thinking is simple: “We’ll just pay for what we need privately.” For a long time, that was a reasonable position. But things are changing, and in many cases, not getting assessed early can now be a mistake. This guide explains: Why the old thinking doesn’t always hold anymore What’s changed in the system When it does (and doesn’t) make sense

From 1 October 2026, eligible older Australians receiving Support at Home will no longer have to pay out-of-pocket for approved personal care services such as showering, dressing and non-clinical continence support. This is an important change. For many people, help with showering or getting dressed is not an optional extra. It is the difference between staying clean, feeling safe, avoiding falls, maintaining dignity and being able to keep living at home. The Australian Gover

A home care quote should do one thing clearly: show you what is being funded, what may need to be contributed, and how those amounts translate into actual support. Too often, that is not what happens. Instead, families receive documents that feel hard to interpret, difficult to compare, or too vague to make a confident decision from. If you are reviewing a quote, here is what should be included. 1. The funding level or subsidy amount A clear quote should show the level of fun

When families first start looking at home care, one of the most frustrating parts is comparing quotes. On paper, two providers can appear to offer similar support. In reality, the cost structure, client contribution, care management approach, and amount left for actual services can be very different. That is where many people get stuck. The challenge is not just finding a provider. It is understanding what you are being quoted, what you may be expected to contribute, and how

Introduction When choosing a home care provider, one of the biggest decisions is not the provider itself. It is the model. Do you want a provider to manage everything for you, or do you want more control over how your funding is used? This is the difference between traditional and self managed home care. What is traditional home care Traditional providers: coordinate your care arrange services manage staff and scheduling handle all administration This is often described as a

Introduction Many people assume their home care package determines how much support they receive. In reality, fees and pricing have a much bigger impact. Where your money goes Your funding is typically split across: care management service delivery additional costs While care management is often around ten percent, the biggest variable is service pricing. The hidden lever hourly rates Providers set their own hourly rates. Even small differences can significantly change how fa

Introduction If you’re looking into home care, one of the first questions is: How much does it actually cost? The answer isn’t as simple as a single number. Most people receive government funding but what you actually get in services depends on: your funding level your provider’s pricing and how your care is managed This guide breaks it down clearly. The simple answer Most people receive between: $10,731 and $78,106 per year in government-funded home care But: You don’t recei

Introduction When people start looking for home care, the focus is often on: funding levels provider names what services are available But the real question is: What does good home care actually look like day to day? Because when it works well, it feels simple. When it doesn’t, everything becomes harder than it should be. Good home care feels easy This might sound obvious but it’s important. Good home care should not feel like: chasing people repeating yourself managing the s

If you’re starting to look into home care, it can feel confusing quickly. You’ll hear terms like: Home Care Packages Support at Home Providers Funding levels And it’s not always clear how it all fits together. This guide breaks it down simply—so you can understand your options and what to do next. What is home care? Home care is support that helps you stay living safely and comfortably in your own home. It can include: Help around the house Personal care (like showering or dr

Choosing a home care provider feels like a big decision. Because it is. But most families don’t get it wrong because they’re careless. They get it wrong because: The system is confusing Providers look similar And no one explains what actually matters So they do what most people would do. They guess. Here are the most common mistakes (and how to avoid them) 1. Comparing providers based on the wrong things Most people look at: Brand name Website First impression But these don’t

Most people ask the same question: “How many hours of care will I get?” It sounds simple. It’s not. Here’s the problem You’re asking the wrong question. Because in home care: You don’t actually have “hours.” You have a budget. And that budget gets turned into hours differently depending on the provider. Why hours are so confusing Under Support at Home: Funding is allocated as a budget Providers set their own hourly rates Additional costs can apply depending on services So two

“Under Support at Home, most providers look the same on paper. The difference is how they turn your funding into actual care.” Most people start the same way. They Google a few providers. Open three tabs. Look at websites that all sound… identical. “Compassionate care”“Tailored support”“Experienced team” And then they try to compare them. Here’s the problem You’re comparing the wrong things. And it’s not your fault, the system makes it hard to see what actually matters. Becau