Support at Home funding changes from 1 October 2026

What the personal care contribution change means for you

Personal care includes help with daily activities such as showering, dressing, eating and personal hygiene.

You won’t need to pay a contribution for approved personal care services if you:

• have personal care included in your support plan
• have enough funds available in your Support at Home budget.

You will continue to pay contributions for personal care services you receive before 1 October. Contributions may continue to apply to other Support at Home services, such as domestic help and gardening.

You do not need to do anything for this change to apply to you. If you have questions, talk to your provider.

Find out more about Support at Home costs and contributions.

What the nurses’ wage increase means for you

The Australian Government is funding providers to help pay higher award wages to registered and enrolled nurses. This means your Support at Home budget and some supplements will increase to meet the cost of higher award wages.

Your Support at Home classification will not change because of this increase.

Your provider may review the price of nursing services. If they propose a price increase, they must:

• discuss the proposed change with you
• explain why the increase is needed
• get your agreement before changing the price.

If you are unsure about a proposed change, ask your provider for more information and time to consider it.

Find out more about funding for the aged care nurses’ award wage increase.

Get more support

After speaking with your provider, you can also get support from a:

• family member
• friend
• carer  
• advocate.

Find out more about getting support to navigate aged care.