There’s an upcoming change to the way Personal Care services are funded under the Support at Home program, coming into effect.

From 1 October 2026, Personal Care will move from the Independence category to the Clinical Supports category.

Support at Home service categories:

• Clinical Supports – No client contribution
• Independence – All services require a client contribution
• Everyday Living – All services require a client contribution

For clients who are not grandfathered, this means you will no longer pay a client contribution for Personal Care services. Instead, the full cost of your Personal Care services will be deducted from your Support at Home budget.

Who is a grandfathered client?
A grandfathered client is someone who was receiving, waiting for, or had been approved for a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024. These clients are protected under the Australian Government’s ‘no worse off’ arrangements, which means different contribution rules may apply to them.

What does this mean for you?

What happens next depends on whether Personal Care is currently included in your Care Plan

If you do currently receive Personal Care:
From 1 October, you will no longer pay a client contribution towards your Personal Care service. Instead, the payment of your Personal Care service will come from your Support at Home budget only. Your Personal Care service will continue as outlined in your Care Plan. You do not need to do anything to continue receiving the service.

If you do not currently receive Personal Care:
This change will not affect your current services or funding arrangements. If Personal Care is added to your Care Plan in the future, the new funding arrangements will apply.

If you receive Personal Care and another service at the same time:
The change only applies to Personal Care. The payment for your Personal Care service will instead come out of your Support at Home budget only, while the funding and contribution arrangements for your other service will continue to apply according to its relevant Support at Home category.

Because more of your Support at Home budget may be used for Personal Care, there may be less funding available for other services. If you are concerned about your budget or how this may affect your services, please speak with your Care Partner.

Frequently asked questions

Will my services change?
No. Your approved services will continue as outlined in your Care Plan. This change affects how Personal Care is funded, not your eligibility to receive Personal Care.

Will I still be charged a client contribution for Personal Care?
No. From 1 October 2026, as a non-grandfathered Support at Home client, you will no longer pay a client contribution for Personal Care.

Will my Support at Home budget be affected?
Yes, if you receive Personal Care. The full cost of your Personal Care service will be deducted from your Support at Home budget.

Will my client contribution for my other services change?
No. This change only relates to Personal Care. Contribution arrangements for your other services remain based on the relevant Support at Home category.

If you are a client with Burnie Brae, your Care Partner will work with you to review your budget and, where needed, make adjustments to your services to help ensure your funding continues to meet your care needs.

Does this mean I’ll have less funding available for other services?
Potentially. As the full cost of Personal Care will now come from your Support at Home budget, there may be less funding available for other services. Your Care Partner can discuss your individual budget and services with you.

What if I don’t currently receive Personal Care?
There will be no immediate change to your services or funding. If Personal Care is added to your Care Plan in the future, the new funding arrangements will apply.

Do I need to contact Services Australia or My Aged Care?
No. You don’t need to do anything unless you are advised otherwise.

Have other questions?

We understand changes to funding can be confusing, and our team is here to help. If you have questions about how this change applies to your services or Support at Home budget, please contact us.