Home Care Services and What They Cost

What counts as a home care service?

Home care covers the help that lets an older person keep living safely in their own home. It can be a nurse who visits to dress a wound. It can be a support worker who helps with a shower. It can also be someone who mows the lawn or drives you to an appointment.

Support at Home is the Australian Government program that funds this help. It started on 1 November 2025 and replaced the old Home Care Packages. Under the new program, an assessment sets a budget, and you use that budget to buy approved services.

The three Support at Home service groups

Every funded service sits in one of three groups.

• Clinical care. Health services delivered by a qualified professional. Nursing and allied health (like physiotherapy) sit here.
• Independence. Help with daily tasks that keep you active and independent, such as personal care, social support, and respite for your carer.
• Everyday living. Practical help around the house, such as cleaning, meals, gardening, and transport.

The group a service belongs to affects how it is funded and whether you pay anything towards it.

Why the government groups services this way

The groups are not just labels. They decide who pays. Clinical care is treated as essential health support, so the government funds it in full inside your budget. Everyday living tasks are things many people pay for anyway, so a means-tested contribution can apply. Independence services sit in between, and some of them attract a contribution too.

Sorting services this way keeps funding focused on health needs first, then daily independence, then general help around the home.

Quick word list: the terms you will see

• Support at Home: the government program that funds home care from 1 November 2025.
• Classification: your funding level. There are eight classifications, from 1 (lowest funding) to 8 (highest). Your assessment decides which one fits your needs.
• Participant contribution (also called client contribution): the share of a service cost you pay yourself. It is means-tested, so it depends on your income and assets.
• ACAT: the Aged Care Assessment Team. They assess people with higher needs. People with lower needs may be seen by a RAS (Regional Assessment Service) instead.
• My Aged Care: the government's front door for aged care. You start here to ask for an assessment. Phone 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au.

Clinical services and how they are priced

Clinical care is health support delivered by trained professionals. It is the most protected part of your budget.

Nursing care at home

A registered or enrolled nurse can visit your home for tasks that need clinical skill. Common examples include wound care, managing medication, looking after a catheter, and monitoring a chronic condition like diabetes.

Nursing is usually priced per hour or per visit. Within your approved budget, clinical care is funded in full and you pay no participant contribution towards it.

Allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy and more)

Allied health covers a range of therapies that help you stay mobile and safe. A physiotherapist can build a strength and balance plan to reduce falls. An occupational therapist can assess your home and suggest changes, like rails or a shower stool. Other allied health workers include podiatrists, dietitians, and speech pathologists.

These services are usually billed per session or per hour. They sit in the clinical group, so within your approved budget they are funded in full and you pay no contribution towards them.

Why clinical care is usually funded in full

The government treats clinical care as core health support. Charging a contribution might stop someone from getting a nurse or a therapist they need, which could lead to a bigger health problem later. So, within your approved budget, clinical services are fully funded and you pay no contribution. The main limit is the size of your budget, not a personal payment.

Independence services and how they are priced

Independence services help you manage daily life and stay connected. Some attract a contribution and some do not, so it pays to check.

Personal care (showering, dressing and grooming)

Personal care is hands-on help with the basics of daily life. A support worker can help you shower safely, dress, brush your hair, and look after your skin. For many people this is the service that makes staying at home possible.

Personal care is usually charged per hour, often with a minimum visit length. You can read more about personal care services and what they include on the services pages.

Social support and getting out of the house

Isolation is a real risk as people age. Social support pays for a worker to spend time with you, share a cup of tea, take you to a community group, or simply keep you company. It can be one-to-one at home or in a group setting.

This is usually priced per hour. The aim is to keep you connected, which supports both your mood and your health.

Respite that gives carers a break

If a family member cares for you, they need rest too. Respite pays for a worker to step in for a few hours, a day, or longer, so the carer can take a break with peace of mind. Short in-home respite is often billed per hour, the same way personal care is.

When a participant contribution applies

Some independence services may carry a participant contribution. This is the means-tested share you pay yourself, based on your income and assets. Others may be funded in full. The exact split depends on the service and on your financial situation, which is worked out when your plan is set up.

If you are not sure whether a service carries a contribution, ask the provider to show you the breakdown before you book.

Everyday living services and how they are priced

Everyday living services are the practical jobs that keep a home running. They are the most likely to carry a contribution, because they are tasks many households pay for anyway.

House cleaning and laundry

A worker can vacuum, mop, clean the bathroom, change the bed, and do the washing. Regular cleaning keeps a home safe and reduces trip hazards. Cleaning is usually priced per hour, and many providers set a minimum visit (often around two hours).

Meals and help with shopping

Eating well matters more as we age. This service can cover help to plan and cook meals, or support to do the weekly shop. Some people use it for company and confidence in the kitchen, not just the food itself.

Pricing is usually per hour for the worker's time. The cost of the groceries or a delivered meal is separate and is paid by you.

Gardening and basic home upkeep

A tidy, safe yard reduces hazards and helps you enjoy your home. This service can cover mowing, weeding, pruning, and light maintenance. Bigger jobs and home modifications are handled differently and may need a separate assessment. Gardening is usually billed per hour or per visit.

Transport to appointments and errands

Getting to the doctor, the chemist, or the shops can be hard without a car. Transport support gives you a worker who drives you, or who travels with you on public transport. It is usually priced per hour, and sometimes a per-kilometre charge applies on top.

Self-managed or full-service: how the price changes

Two people with the same needs can pay very different amounts. The biggest reason is the model they choose.

Self-managed: choose your own worker and rate

With self-management, you and your family find your own support worker from the local community. You agree a price directly with that worker. Your provider then onboards the worker to meet Commonwealth standards, pays the invoices, and handles the paperwork.

Because you are sourcing the worker yourself, the rate is often close to everyday market rates. A 10% self-management loading is added. This is a loading, not a cap. It covers workforce assurance (checks that the worker is safe and qualified) and the work of paying invoices. Self-management suits people who feel confident organising their own help.

Full-service: a fixed price list from the provider

With a full-service provider, the provider employs the workers and gives you a fixed price list. You book from that list and the provider runs everything, including rosters, cover for sick days, and coordination. Some full-service plans add extra care management on top.

This model takes more off your plate, and that convenience is built into the price. Full-service hourly rates for everyday services typically sit 50% to 100% above the matching self-managed rate.

A side-by-side look at the cost difference

The table below shows the pattern in plain terms. The figures are relative, not dollar amounts, so you can see the shape of the choice.

You can read a fuller comparison in our guide on the difference between self-managed and full-service care.

Weekday, weekend and public holiday rates

The same service can cost different amounts depending on the day. This catches a lot of families by surprise, so it is worth planning around.

Why the same service can cost more on a Sunday

Workers are paid penalty rates for working weekends and public holidays, the same as in most Australian jobs. Saturday and Sunday usually cost more than a weekday. Public holidays cost the most of all. A regular Tuesday clean and a Sunday clean of the same length can have quite different prices.

What to ask before you book a weekend visit

A little planning keeps your budget under control. Before you lock in a weekend or holiday visit, ask:

• What is the weekday rate, the weekend rate, and the public holiday rate for this service?
• Is there a higher minimum visit length on weekends?
• Can a regular task (like cleaning) move to a weekday to save money?
• Are travel or call-out charges different on weekends?

If a task does not need to happen on a weekend, shifting it to a weekday can stretch your budget further.

How to read a home care price list

Price lists can look simple and still hide important detail. Reading one well helps you compare providers fairly.

Check the unit: per hour or per visit

First, find the unit. Is the price per hour, per visit, or per session? A 'per visit' price might look cheap until you see the visit is short. A 'per hour' price is easier to compare across providers, as long as you also note the minimum.

Watch for minimum visit lengths and travel charges

Many services have a minimum visit, often one or two hours. If you only need 45 minutes of help, you may still pay for the full minimum. Some providers also add a travel charge or a per-kilometre fee, especially in regional areas. Always read the notes under the price.

Where the Care Management fee fits in

The Care Management fee is separate from the hourly rate for each service. It is charged from your budget for the work of overseeing your plan, and it is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. When you compare price lists, look at both the service rates and how care management is charged, so you are comparing the full picture.

Comparing two price lists fairly

To compare two providers properly, line up the same service, the same unit, the same day, and the same minimum visit. Then check the care management and any travel charges. Comparing a self-managed rate to a full-service rate without noting the model will mislead you, because they include different things. When you are ready, you can compare home care prices in your area side by side.

How fees and contributions work under Support at Home

Two things shape your out-of-pocket cost: the Care Management fee and any means-tested contribution. Here is how each one works.

The Care Management fee explained

Care management is the ongoing oversight of your plan. It covers reviewing your needs, adjusting services, and making sure everything is on track. Under Support at Home, this is charged as a Care Management fee that is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget. The old separate package management fee from the Home Care Package days no longer exists, so there is one less fee to track.

Means-tested contributions in plain English

A participant contribution is your personal share of a service cost. It is means-tested, which means the government looks at your income and assets to decide how much you pay. Someone with more means usually pays a larger share. Within your budget, clinical care like nursing carries no contribution. Some everyday living and independence services do. Your contribution is worked out when your plan is set up, and your provider can explain your own figures.

What the government covers and what you might add

The government funds your approved services up to the limit of your budget for your classification. If you want more help than your budget covers, you can choose to pay for extra services privately, on top of your funded plan. Price caps have been deferred for now, but the government has published indicative prices. These are indicative figures, not price caps or recommended prices. We show those indicative prices on this site so you can see how a provider's rates compare.

Questions about this topic

Do I pay for nursing care at home?

Within your approved budget, clinical care like nursing is funded in full and you pay no participant contribution towards it. The government treats nursing and other clinical care as essential health support. The main limit is the size of your budget for your classification, not a personal payment.

Is self-managed care cheaper than full-service?

It usually is for everyday services. With self-management you find your own worker and agree a rate, so the price is often close to everyday market rates, plus a 10% self-management loading. Full-service hourly rates for everyday services typically sit 50% to 100% above the matching self-managed rate, because the provider runs everything for you.

What is the Care Management fee?

It is the fee for overseeing your plan, such as reviewing your needs and adjusting services. Under Support at Home it is capped at 10% of your quarterly budget and is charged from that budget. The old separate package management fee no longer exists, so there is one less fee to track.

Why does the same service cost more on a weekend?

Workers are paid penalty rates for weekends and public holidays, the same as in most Australian jobs. So a Saturday or Sunday visit usually costs more than a weekday, and public holidays cost the most. Moving a regular task to a weekday can help your budget go further.

How do I get a Support at Home budget?

You start with My Aged Care, the government's front door for aged care. Phone 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au to ask for an assessment. People with higher needs are assessed by an ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team), while lower needs may be assessed by a RAS (Regional Assessment Service). The assessment sets your classification and budget.