Personal care contributions are changing.
From 1 October 2026, the Australian Government will fully fund approved personal care services under Support at Home.
If personal care is approved in your support plan and you have available Support at Home funds, you will not pay a participant contribution for personal care services delivered from that date.
The change is about the participant contribution for personal care. It does not automatically add personal care to a support plan or create extra Support at Home funds.
Three things are worth knowing.
The change is important, but it does not need to be complicated. The approval, the available budget and the type of service still matter.
No participant contribution for approved personal care from 1 October
The Australian Government will fully fund personal care delivered from 1 October 2026 when personal care is approved in your Support at Home plan and you have available Support at Home funds.
Your approval and available funds still matter
The change does not automatically approve personal care, increase a budget or remove the need to have the service included in your support plan.
Other Support at Home services are not all changing with it
This specific change is about personal care. Other services can still have participant contributions according to their contribution category and your circumstances.
The service itself is not being redefined.
The contribution category is changing. The scope of personal care stays the same.
Government guidance gives examples including help with:
- Showering and personal hygiene
- Dressing
- Eating
- Non-clinical continence support
- Assistance with self-administration of medication
If you are unsure whether a particular task sits within personal care, the official Support at Home service list is the best reference point.
Start with where you are up to.
The contribution change is the same, but the useful next step can be very different depending on whether you already have approval, are waiting, or are thinking about changing provider.
What the change does not mean.
Clear information is more useful than a headline that sounds better than the real rules.
A few straightforward answers.
What changes on 1 October 2026?
From 1 October 2026, personal care services under Support at Home move to the Clinical Supports contribution category. The Australian Government will fully fund approved personal care services, so a participant will not pay a contribution for personal care delivered from that date when personal care is approved in their support plan and they have available Support at Home funds.
Do I need to be reassessed because of this change?
The change does not alter eligibility or approval requirements. If you are already assessed and approved for personal care, the contribution change itself does not require a new assessment. You still need personal care approved in your support plan and available Support at Home funding.
Does this mean every Support at Home service has no participant contribution?
No. The change applies to personal care services. Contributions for other Support at Home services continue according to their contribution category and the participant’s circumstances.
Does the change apply to personal care delivered before 1 October 2026?
No. Personal care services delivered before 1 October 2026 remain subject to the contribution arrangements that applied when the service was delivered, even if they are claimed later.
You do not need to work this out alone.
If the change affects you, or you are simply not sure whether personal care is part of your approval, call us. You will speak directly with a real person who can listen and help you work out the next step.