Self-management used to mean paying lower management fees. Not anymore.
With the rollout of Support at Home late 2025, everyone (whether self-managing or not) will pay the same care management fee.
So what’s the benefit of self-managing now?
It’s no longer about lower fees, it’s about choice, control, and getting more value from your funding.
What Does Self-Management Now Offer?
Under Support at Home, self-management means having control over:
- Who provides your care
- When and how your services are delivered
- What you’re willing to pay
That control matters because when you negotiate prices directly, you can often get more care hours from your package.
You still have the safety net of:
- A care manager to support you
- Help with compliance, budgeting, and service agreements
- Oversight to meet all government care standards
Local Guardians support all levels of self-management – from full Self-Management to Provider-led Shared Management.
What we don’t offer is Full-Service Provider Management, where clients have no say in who delivers their care.
The Five Levels of Independence in Home Care
Here’s a simple breakdown to help understand the spectrum, from full independence to fully managed care. Toggle the dot from left to right for more information on each:
