As part of the Australian Government’s ongoing Support at Home reforms, several important changes will take effect from 1 October 2026.
Personal Care Becomes Fully Government Funded
From 1 October 2026, personal care services will move from the Independence category into the Clinical Care category under Support at Home.
This means that if personal care is included in your approved support plan and you have available funding, the Australian Government will fully fund these services and you will not be required to make a participant contribution. Australian Government’s ongoing Support at Home reforms, several important changes will take effect from 1 October 2026.
Services Included
The change applies to essential personal care supports such as:
Showering and personal hygiene
Dressing and grooming
Continence support and management
Other approved personal care activities
What This Means For You
No out-of-pocket contributions for approved personal care services delivered from 1 October 2026
No reassessment required
Changes will apply automatically where personal care is included in your support plan
More of your funding can be directed towards maintaining your health, dignity and independence
Please note that participant contributions will still apply to services within the Everyday Living and Independence categories, including services such as:
– Domestic assistance and cleaning
– Gardening and home maintenance
– Transport
– Social support and community access
This change applies to Support at Home participants only and does not currently apply to the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP).
What Should Families Check?
We encourage participants and families to review these changes with their care team to ensure they understand how their funding will be used.
Confirm Your Support Plan Speak with your Care Coordinator to confirm that personal care supports are included within your current support plan.
Understand Any Remaining Contributions Ask your provider which services will continue to attract participant contributions and what those costs may be.
Review Your October Statement Check that personal care services delivered from 1 October 2026 no longer appear as a participant contribution on your statement.
At For Care, we will continue to provide clear statements and support to help you understand exactly how your funding is being used.
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