How the New Reforms Affect Costs & Funding: What Support at Home Means for You
What’s Changing — at a Glance
With the launch of Support at Home (replacing the old Home Care Packages system from 1 November 2025), the way care is funded and charged has been redesigned. Read more here
Key changes you should know:
- The maximum funding available under the highest classification rises — up to about AU$78,000 per year in some cases. See more here.
- Instead of a “daily package fee,” you pay only when services are provided. There are no more basic daily OR Package Management Fees that you pay regardless. See more here.
- Costs for services will be split into categories: “clinical care” (nursing, therapy), “independence supports” (personal care, hygiene, mobility help), and “everyday living supports” (cleaning, gardening, meals, domestic help).
- The government will fund clinical care services fully — meaning if you get nursing or allied-health support at home, these should come at no extra cost to you (subject to assessment). See more here.
- Non-clinical services (personal care, domestic help, everyday living supports) will require client contributions, based on your income/assets being assessed by the government.
- There is a lifetime cap on contributions so you will never pay more than a set amount over your lifetime for non-clinical home care under Support at Home.
- From 1 July 2026, the government will introduce price caps per service (e.g. maximum hourly rate or cost per service), to ensure consistent and fair pricing across providers. See more here.
How Contributions & Subsidies Work: What You Pay vs What the Government Covers
Here’s how the cost-sharing works under Support at Home:
- Clinical services (e.g. nursing, physiotherapy, allied-health, therapy) — The government fully funds these. No contribution from you.
- Independence services (e.g. personal care, showering, medication help, mobility assistance) — Moderate contribution required, based on means test (income/assets).
- Everyday living services (e.g. cleaning, gardening, domestic assistance, meals, transport) — Likely higher contribution required compared to independence services, depending on means.
Also: there will no longer be separate “package management” fees charged on top of services — providers’ fees will already include admin/transport etc. Find out more here.
Finally: your total contributions to home care (non-clinical) are capped over your lifetime — once the cap is reached, you won’t be asked to contribute further.
What This Could Mean in Real Life (Adelaide)
Here are three hypothetical scenarios illustrating how costs and subsidies might play out under Support at Home.
| Scenario | Typical Service Use per Week | Approximate Client Contribution* |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret (Pensioner, basic needs) — occasional help with bathing and cleaning (2 hrs/week) + monthly physiotherapy (govt-funded) | ~ 2 hrs personal care + 1 hr cleaning + 1 physio session / month | Low to zero contribution — clinical and minimal personal care, possible subsidy or small means-tested amount Value |
| John (moderate needs) — personal care 3×/week + domestic assistance 2×/week + mobility support + weekly cleaning | ~ 6 service-units/week (mix of independence & everyday living) | Moderate contribution — depending on income/assets; likely co-payment for non-clinical services |
| Helen (higher needs, limited income) — daily personal care, daily domestic support, mobility & allied health twice/week, plus transport | ~ daily care + cleaning + therapy + transport | Contributions apply, but capped over lifetime; government subsidy covers majority of clinical supports |
*These are illustrative examples. Actual contributions depend on your income/assets, assessed care needs, and how many service hours you use.
Why this is better than old system: Under the old model, many people paid a flat daily fee irrespective of use. Now, you only pay for services you actually receive — and clinical supports remain fully subsidised.
Additional Protections & What They Mean for You
The reform introduces several protections to prevent unexpected or excessive costs:
- No hidden entry or exit fees, or surprise “administration” fees
- Service providers must publish their standard service prices transparently.
- Lifetime contribution cap for non-clinical home care — once reached, you pay no more for those services.
- Budget flexibility: if you don’t use your full quarterly allocation, a portion can roll over (under certain conditions) so funds are not wasted.
What This Means for Yellow Door Care Clients in Adelaide
If you choose Yellow Door Care as your provider:
- You’ll get clear information upfront — what services are free, which need contributions.
- We’ll help you understand your means-tested contribution amount, and work with you to plan care that matches your budget and needs.
- Because Support at Home offers flexible funding and better value for money than institutional care, many families find home-based care more affordable and tailored.
- You only pay for what you receive — no wasted budget or unnecessary fees.
Need Help Estimating Your Costs? We Can Help
Understanding funding and contributions can feel complicated — but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Yellow Door Care, we can walk you through:
- Eligibility and means test outcomes
- Which services are likely to be fully subsidised
- How much co-contribution you might expect based on your needs and usage
- What your care plan might look like under Support at Home
Let us help you get the support you need — at a price that makes sense.
