Support at Home contributions & fees

Under the Support at Home program, the Australian Government expects all people to contribute towards the cost of their care, if they can afford to do so.

The amount you need to contribute towards the cost of your care is called your Contribution Rate, and is determined by Services Australia. Your Contribution Rate based on your income and assets, as part of an Income and Means Assessment. 

If you have not completed an Income and Means Assessment, your Contribution Rate will be set to the government's default level of 80% of the cost of Everyday living supports, and 50% of the cost of Indepedence supports. All Clinical support is fully funded by the Australian Government, so these services are at no cost to you.

Income and Means Assessment

To calculate your contribute rate, Services Australia will assess your income and assets, including your pension status. For full and part pensioners, your assessement will use information that you have already provided to Services Australia for a pension assessment. If you already have a pension or a Commonwealth Senior Health Card, you will pay a lower contribution. 

How your contribution is calculated

There are three categories of aged care services, and your Contribution Rate is also based on the type of services you may receive.

• Clinical supports: Services like Nursing Care and Allied Health care like Physiotherapy are fully funded by the Australian Government. They help keep you out of hospital and residential aged care. This means you will not be required to pay a contribution. 
• Independence supports: Financial contributions are required for services like Personal Care, and assistive equipment and products. These help you maintain your routine and avoid hospital or residential care.
• Everyday living supports: A higher level of financial contribution is required for services like Domestic Assistance and Gardening. These are services that people are more likely to have organised themselves throughout their lives. 

You will only pay contributions for services that you have received. 

Based on your income and assets, each type of service has a fixed contribution percentage. Your contribution is calculated per hour, or unit of service, for each service received. 

For example: 

• For two hours of Personal Care, you pay a contribution towards the cost of each hour of your service. 
• If you received five meals, you pay a contribution towards each meal, as it’s billed as a unit of service. 
• If you have consumables like continence pads, your contribution is calculated as a percentage of the product’s cost.

Your Care Partner will explain the payments you need to make when developing your Care Plan.

Support at Home fees

Every Support at Home client receives Care Management services to help manage their care. Services Australia deducts 10% of your quarterly Support at Home budget and adds it your care providers Care Management Account, such as Silverchain. This amount does not change regardless of your provider, how much Care Management you need, or even if you choose to self manage your care. 

Under Support at Home, providers cannot charge for entry or exit costs or package administration fees. 

Additional support

There is support available if you cannot financially contribute to your care and meet relevant criteria. 

To apply for a fee reduction, go to the Services Australia website and complete the Aged Care Claim for financial hardship assistance form (SA462). They will assess your financial situation and if approved, your contributions will be reduced or waived.

For more information, see our aged care frequently asked questions. For more information, call our Contact Centre on 1300 650 803 or complete our enquiry form today.