Understanding Support at Home and personal contributions
If you’re receiving Support at Home (from 1 November 2025), you get a government budget to help you live safely and well at home.
Most people will also pay a personal contribution, a percentage of the cost of some services. This is not a penalty it is how the program is designed so that people who can afford to contribute, do so fairly.
Your Support at Home budget works like “buckets of support”, into three broad buckets:
- Clinical supports (health and professional care)
- Independence supports (help to stay independent)
- Everyday supports (help around the home and daily living)
Each bucket works a little differently when it comes to your contribution.
| Type of support | What it is | What Will I pay? |
| Clinical (health) | Nurses, physio, care management | Nothing |
| Independence | Personal care, social support, transport, equipment | 5-50% |
| Everyday | Cleaning, gardening, meals | 17.5%-80% |
Your exact percentage depends on your income and assets. Use our interactive Support at Home budget planner as a simple guide to understand how the costs may work for you.
Clinical Supports
These are services that protect your health, safety, and wellbeing. They are often delivered by qualified professionals.
Examples from your list include:
| Care management
Nursing care Nursing consumables (dressings, medical supplies) Dietitian/nutrition
|
Physiotherapy
Occupational therapy Podiatry Psychology Speech pathology
|
Exercise physiology
Counselling Social work Music therapy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health supports |
Because these supports are about health and safety, the government generally protects them.
Independance Supports
These services help you stay independent, connected, and able to manage day-to-day life.
This includes things like:
| Personal care (non-clinical)
Help with showering, dressing, toileting Help taking medication Continence support Social and community support Group social activities One-on-one social support Help going out to activities Cultural support Digital help (learning to use phones, tablets, email)
|
Help managing personal affairs (paperwork, bills, appointments)
Therapies that support wellbeing (not strictly medical) Acupuncture Chiropractic Massage Art therapy Osteopathy Diversional therapy Respite Transport Rides to appointments Mobility aids Communication devices
|
Special cushions or continence products
Trips to shops or activities Equipment and aids Walking frames, shower chairs, grab rails Assistive technology Home modifications Ramps Grab rails Bathroom changes Safer access to your home Nutrition supports Diet advice, meal planning, or specialist nutrition help
|
Everyday supports, help around the house (larger contributions apply)
These are the services many people recognise as “home help”.
- House cleaning
- Laundry
- Shopping help
- Home maintenance minor repairs
- Gardening
- Meals
Most people do pay a contribution toward everyday services because these are things many people would normally pay for privately if they didn’t have Support at Home.
What does “percentage contribution” really mean?
Let’s say a service costs $100.
Depending on your income assessment, you might pay:
0% → you pay $0
5% → you pay $5
17.5% → you pay $17.50
50%+ → you pay $50
In summary, Support at Home is designed to balance government funding with fair personal contributions, so people who can afford to contribute do so, while essential health care remains protected. How much you pay depends on the type of support you use and your income and assets, not a one-size-fits-all fee. Understanding these differences can help you plan with confidence and make informed choices about your care. Our interactive Support at Home budget planner is a simple guide to help you see how your funding and contributions may work in practice.
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