Social Support Home Care Costs and What's Included

What social support and companionship covers

Social support is help that keeps you connected to people and to your community. It is sometimes called companionship care. A support worker spends time with you and helps you do the things you enjoy. This can ease the loneliness that can creep in when you are at home a lot.

One-on-one companionship and conversation

This is the simplest form of social support. A worker visits you at home for a chat, a board game, a walk in the garden, or help with a hobby. The visit is about company, not chores. For many older people, a regular friendly face is the best part of the week.

Help getting out: shopping, appointments and outings

Social support also covers going out with you. That might mean a trip to the supermarket, a hand at a medical appointment, a visit to the library, or a coffee at your local cafe. The worker helps you get there, stay safe, and join in. This is sometimes called community access.

Group social activities and community access

Some people prefer company in a group. Social support can pay for transport to a community centre, a social club, an exercise class, or a shared lunch. Group activities are a good way to meet others and build a routine.

What social support does not cover

Social support is not personal care. It does not cover showering, dressing or help with medication. Those tasks fall under personal care. It also does not cover nursing or wound care, which are clinical services. If you need a mix, your support plan can include more than one service type.

Why social support matters for wellbeing

It is easy to treat social time as a nice extra. The research says otherwise. Staying connected is one of the best ways to protect your health as we age.

Reducing loneliness and isolation

Loneliness is common among older Australians. It often grows after a partner passes, friends move away, or driving stops. Regular contact through social support gives shape to the week and someone to talk to. That can lift your mood. It also eases the worry that families carry when a parent lives alone.

Staying active, connected and independent at home

People who stay socially active tend to stay more physically active too. A weekly outing is a reason to get dressed, leave the house and move. Social support helps you keep doing the things that matter to you. That supports your independence and your wish to stay living at home.

How social support is funded under Support at Home

Your social support is paid from a quarterly Support at Home budget. That budget is set across 8 funding classifications, from 1 (lowest) to 8 (highest). It covers the approved services you choose. Support at Home replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025.

An everyday-living service in your quarterly budget

Your budget is worked out and given to you each quarter. Social support sits in the everyday-living group of services, alongside things like cleaning and transport. You and your provider decide how much of your quarterly budget goes towards social visits.

When a means-tested contribution applies

Everyday-living services can carry a participant contribution. This is a share of the cost you pay. It is worked out by an income and assets assessment. Some people pay nothing. Clinical services like nursing are fully government funded with no contribution.

How the care management fee fits in

Before you spend on services, a care management fee is set aside from your quarterly budget. It is capped at 10% of that budget. It is a set program deduction, not an amount providers can change. The rest of your budget is what you have to spend on social support and other approved services.

Self-managed versus full-service social support costs

How much social support costs you depends a lot on how you arrange it.

Self-managed: choose your worker and agree a price

With self-management, you and your family choose your own support worker from the local community. You agree a price with them. Your provider then signs that worker up to meet Commonwealth standards. A 10% self-management loading applies to the cost of workers you arrange. It covers workforce assurance (the checks on your worker) and invoice payment. Because you set the rate, self-managed social support is often the cheapest way to get a regular companion.

Full-service: a fixed price list from the provider

With full-service, the provider employs the workers and gives you a fixed price list. You book a visit and the provider sends a worker. This is simpler to arrange. You may pay extra for coordination or care management on top.

Comparing the two on price

Full-service hourly rates for everyday services are usually 50% to 100% higher than the matching self-managed rate. This is based on Trilogy Care's comparison of published provider price lists. For the same companion hour, that difference adds up over a quarter.

How to compare social support prices the right way

A headline hourly rate rarely tells the whole story. Look a little closer before you commit.

Check the hourly rate and what is included

Ask what the rate buys. Does it cover the worker's time only? Or does it also cover travel and any planning? A lower rate with extra fees can cost more than a higher all-in rate.

Watch for travel, minimum hours and group fees

Some providers charge for the worker's travel to you. Some set a minimum visit length, say two hours. Others add a fee for group activities and transport. These are easy to miss and they change the real cost.

Reading the indicative prices the government has published

The government has put off price caps. It has published indicative prices instead, which are figures providers say they plan to charge. These are indicative figures, not price caps or recommended prices. Use them as a rough guide only. Then compare real published price lists.

Questions about this topic

Is social support covered by Support at Home?

Yes. Social support is an approved everyday-living service. You can use part of your quarterly Support at Home budget for companionship visits, outings and community access.

Do I have to pay for social support under Support at Home?

You may pay a means-tested participant contribution because it is an everyday-living service. The amount depends on an income and assets assessment. Some people pay nothing.

What is the difference between social support and personal care?

Social support is about company and getting out, like visits and outings. Personal care is hands-on help with daily tasks such as showering and dressing. From 1 October 2026 the government will fully fund personal care. There will be no participant contribution from that date.

Can I choose my own support worker for companionship visits?

Yes, if you self-manage. You and your family choose a worker from your community and agree a price. Your provider then signs them up to meet Commonwealth standards.

How much does a social support worker cost per hour?

Rates vary by provider and region, so we do not quote a single figure. As a guide, full-service hourly rates for everyday services are usually 50% to 100% higher than the matching self-managed rate. This is based on Trilogy Care's comparison of published provider price lists.

See real prices in your area