CHSP Extended to 30 June 2029: What It Means for Families
By Wayly Editorial · Published 23 August 2026 · Last reviewed 23 August 2026
Here is the headline, so you can relax before you read further: the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will keep running as its own program until 30 June 2029, and the government is no longer merging it into Support at Home. Your parent's cleaner, transport and meals keep running under the current rules.
On 20 August 2026 the government confirmed it would extend CHSP for another two years and step away from the earlier plan to fold it into Support at Home from mid 2027. This page is the short version. For the full explainer, read the CHSP extension article.
Key facts at a glance
- CHSP is extended two more years, from 30 June 2027 to 30 June 2029.
- CHSP will remain a standalone program and will not be merged into Support at Home as previously planned.
- If your parent currently receives CHSP services, nothing changes: services and provider contracts continue to 2029.
- Around 830,000 older Australians rely on CHSP, delivered by about 1,300 providers.
- Support at Home is not directly affected by this announcement.
- The financial change most likely to affect a Support at Home invoice is the personal care reclassification on 1 October 2026, which is unrelated to this CHSP news.
What was announced
Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler and Aged Care Minister Sam Rae confirmed three things: CHSP funding will be extended to 30 June 2029; CHSP will remain a standalone program rather than being merged into Support at Home; and consultation on the long-term design of CHSP will begin later in 2026. The extension gives older Australians and providers certainty while that design work happens.
What changes for your parent
Practically, not much this week, and a lot of certainty for the next few years. If your parent currently receives CHSP, their services continue without interruption. Council and other provider contracts continue to 2029, and providers can no longer cite uncertainty about the future of CHSP as a reason for withdrawing services. Any co-contributions they already make continue as before.
What this announcement does not do
It does not increase CHSP funding, it does not undo the 1 October 2026 change to personal care under Support at Home, and it does not merge CHSP into Support at Home at some later date automatically. The government's stated position now is that CHSP should remain standalone.
Frequently asked questions
Is CHSP being cancelled?
No. CHSP has been extended for another two years to 30 June 2029, and the government has said it should remain a standalone program.
Was CHSP supposed to be merged into Support at Home?
Yes. The previous plan was that CHSP would be absorbed into Support at Home no earlier than 1 July 2027. That plan has been reversed, and the government now believes CHSP should stay separate.
Do I need to do anything if my parent currently receives CHSP services?
No. Their services continue as they are. Contracts with providers, including local councils, continue without interruption to 2029.
Will my parent's CHSP fees change?
The August 2026 announcement did not change CHSP contribution arrangements. Consultation on long-term contribution rules across CHSP and Support at Home is expected later in 2026.
Does this affect Support at Home?
Not directly. A separate change to personal care under Support at Home took effect on 1 October 2026, which is unrelated to the CHSP extension.
Where can I get official updates?
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publishes CHSP updates at health.gov.au, and My Aged Care at myagedcare.gov.au.
This article is general information, not financial or care advice. Check health.gov.au and myagedcare.gov.au for the latest.
See also: the CHSP pillar, the caregiver guide, CHSP vs Support at Home.