Support at Home Personal Care Fully Funded From 1 October 2026: What You Need to Know

Support at Home Personal Care Will Be Fully Funded From 1 October 2026

A significant change is coming to Australia's Support at Home program.

From 1 October 2026, participants will no longer be required to make a participant contribution towards approved personal care services under Support at Home.

The Australian Government has announced that personal care will move from the Independence contribution category to the Clinical Supports contribution category for contribution purposes.

Because participants do not pay a contribution towards Clinical Supports, eligible personal care services delivered from 1 October 2026 will have no out-of-pocket participant contribution. 

This is an important change for older Australians who rely on assistance with showering, dressing, personal hygiene and other essential daily activities.

At Allegiance Heart & Home Care, we help older Australians understand their Support at Home funding and organise services around their individual needs and preferences.

Learn more about our Support at Home services:
https://allegiancehearthomecare.com.au/

What Is Changing From 1 October 2026?

Currently, personal care sits within the Independence category of Support at Home for participant contribution purposes.

Depending on a person's circumstances and contribution arrangements, this can mean they are required to contribute towards the cost of their personal care.

From 1 October 2026, all personal care services on the Support at Home service list will move to the Clinical Supports category for contribution purposes.

This means participants will no longer pay a contribution towards eligible personal care services delivered from that date. 

However, there are two important requirements:

•  Personal care must be approved in your Support at Home support plan. 
•  You must have available Support at Home funding to pay for the service. 

So while there will be no participant contribution, personal care is not unlimited or separate from your Support at Home budget. The cost of the service will continue to be deducted from your available Support at Home funding. 

What Personal Care Services Will Be Covered?

The definition of personal care is not changing.

Under Support at Home, personal care can include assistance with essential daily activities such as:

•  Showering and bathing 
•  Dressing and undressing 
•  Personal hygiene and grooming 
•  Eating 
•  Non-clinical continence management 
•  Assistance with self-administration of medication 

The change relates to how participant contributions are calculated, rather than changing the scope of personal care itself. 

Does This Mean Personal Care Is Completely Free?

This is where the change can be confusing.

From 1 October 2026, an eligible participant will not personally contribute towards the cost of their approved personal care service.

However, the service is still paid for from the participant's available Support at Home budget.

For example, if your provider charges your Support at Home budget for one hour of personal care, that service cost will still be deducted from your available funding.

The difference is that you will no longer have an additional participant contribution to pay for that personal care service.

The Australian Government describes this as personal care being fully funded because the participant contribution will be 0% for eligible personal care delivered from 1 October 2026. 

Who Will Be Eligible for Fully Funded Personal Care?

To benefit from the new arrangement, you must:

•  Be receiving services through the Support at Home program
•  Be approved for the relevant personal care service in your support plan 
•  Have available Support at Home funding to pay for the service 

The eligibility and approval requirements for personal care are not changing.

If personal care is not currently included in your approved support plan but your needs have changed, you should speak with your provider about your care needs and whether your care plan needs to be reviewed.

What Happens to Personal Care Provided Before 1 October 2026?

The date the service was actually delivered is important.

Personal care delivered before 1 October 2026 will continue to be subject to the contribution arrangements that applied at the time the service was provided.

This applies even if the provider submits the claim after 1 October.

For example, a personal care service delivered on 30 September 2026 may still attract the applicable participant contribution even if it is invoiced or claimed in October.

The new contribution arrangement applies to eligible personal care delivered from 1 October 2026 onwards. 

Why Is the Government Making This Change?

Personal care plays an important role in helping older Australians remain safe, healthy and independent at home.

For many people, support with showering, dressing, continence and personal hygiene is not optional it is an essential part of daily life.

The Australian Government has said that removing personal care contributions is intended to support dignity, hygiene and access to essential daily care, while reducing financial pressure on older people and their families. 

Will Nursing and Allied Health Still Be Fully Funded?

Clinical Supports under Support at Home already have no participant contribution.

These can include eligible clinical services such as nursing and physiotherapy.

From 1 October 2026, personal care will join the Clinical Supports contribution category for the purpose of determining participant contributions. 

Importantly, this does not turn personal care into a clinical service or mean it must be delivered by a nurse.

The government has confirmed there are no changes to the workforce roles, qualifications or delivery models for personal care. Personal care workers can continue providing these services as appropriate. 

What About Cleaning, Gardening and Other Support at Home Services?

The change specifically relates to personal care.

Other Support at Home services may continue to attract participant contributions depending on the service category and the participant's individual contribution arrangements.

For example, services within the Everyday Living category can include domestic assistance, cleaning and gardening.

Services within the Independence category can include services such as transport and respite.

Participant contributions for these services are determined according to the Support at Home contribution rules and the participant's circumstances. 

This makes understanding your budget and service mix increasingly important.

Could You Increase Your Personal Care From October 2026?

For some participants, the removal of personal care contributions may be a good opportunity to review whether their current personal care arrangements still meet their needs.

For example, someone currently receiving personal care three mornings per week may have a genuine need for additional support with showering or dressing.

Any increase must still be appropriate to the participant's assessed needs, support plan and available Support at Home budget.

You should therefore consider your overall quarterly budget, not simply the removal of the personal contribution.

Increasing expenditure on personal care may leave less available funding for other approved services during the quarter.

Make Sure Your Support at Home Budget Still Works

Even though the participant contribution for personal care is being removed, effective budget management remains important.

Your Support at Home funding may need to cover a combination of services such as:

•  Personal care 
•  Domestic assistance 
•  Social support 
•  Transport 
•  Nursing 
•  Physiotherapy 
•  Occupational therapy 
•  Podiatry 
•  Respite 
•  Gardening 
•  Other approved services 

Your provider should help you understand your available funding, service costs and how your planned services fit within your budget.

At Allegiance Heart & Home Care, we believe participants and their families should have clear visibility over how their Support at Home funding is being used.

Want More Control Over Your Support at Home Services?

Some older Australians want more involvement in deciding who supports them, when their services are delivered and how their available funding is used.

A Self-Managed Support at Home arrangement can provide greater choice and flexibility while maintaining the oversight and care management required through a registered provider.

Depending on your arrangement, self-management may allow you to have greater involvement in:

•  Choosing your support workers 
•  Coordinating your services 
•  Scheduling care around your routine 
•  Comparing service options 
•  Monitoring your budget 
•  Understanding where your funding is being spent 

Explore Allegiance Self-Managed Support at Home:
https://allegiancehearthomecareportal.com/

Already Receiving Support at Home?

Now is a good time to review your personal care arrangements ahead of 1 October 2026.

Consider asking:

•  Is personal care included in my current support plan? 
•  How many hours of personal care am I currently receiving? 
•  How much of my quarterly budget is being spent on personal care? 
•  What contribution am I currently paying? 
•  Will my budget or service schedule need to change from October? 
•  Do my current services still meet my needs? 
•  Would I benefit from having greater control over how my services are organised? 

If you are unsure, speak with your Support at Home provider before the change takes effect.

Looking for a Support at Home Provider?

If you're comparing Support at Home providers or considering changing from your current provider, Allegiance Heart & Home Care can help.

We provide Support at Home services with a focus on:

•  Choice and control 
•  Regular and suitable support workers 
•  Clear communication 
•  Transparent service pricing 
•  Responsive care management 
•  Flexible service arrangements 
•  Family involvement 
•  Self-management options 

Our team can discuss your approved funding, current services and care priorities and help you develop a service arrangement that works within your available budget.

Learn more about Allegiance Heart & Home Care:
https://allegiancehearthomecare.com.au/

Interested in greater choice and control?
Explore our Self-Managed Support at Home service:

https://allegiancehearthomecareportal.com/

Prepare for the Change Today

The removal of participant contributions for personal care is a significant development for older Australians receiving Support at Home.

If you or a family member receives personal care, this is a good opportunity to review your care plan, understand your available budget and make sure your services continue to reflect your needs.

At Allegiance Heart & Home Care, we're here to help you understand your options and get the most appropriate support from your available Support at Home funding.

Explore Support at Home with Allegiance Heart & Home Care:
https://allegiancehearthomecare.com.au/

Explore Self-Managed Support at Home:
https://allegiancehearthomecareportal.com/