Personal care becomes fully government funded from 1 October 2026
From 1 October 2026, personal care under Support at Home moves to fully government funded for every participant. This is one of the most significant changes in the program since it replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. It affects every household that uses personal care services.
- Personal care contribution drops to zero from 1 October 2026
- Applies to every participant regardless of classification or pension status
- Quarterly budget headroom increases for households that use personal care heavily
- No action required. Statements reflect the change automatically
What changes on 1 October 2026
Personal care services include help with showering, dressing, grooming, toileting and continence support. Today they sit in the Independence stream and a participant contribution applies (5% for a full age pensioner, 17.5% for a part age pensioner, 50% for a self funded retiree).
From 1 October 2026 the contribution drops to zero. The government pays the full cost for every participant. The change applies to all hours of personal care delivered through your registered Support at Home provider.
How it affects your quarterly budget
Before October 2026 a personal care hour at $78 costs a full age pensioner $3.90 from their pocket and $74.10 from their quarterly Independence budget. After October the same hour costs the pensioner zero. The full $78 comes from the quarterly Independence budget. Where families overpaid out of pocket before, this is now genuine cash flow relief.
Households with high personal care use should plan ahead. Many Level 4 to Level 8 households can now afford an extra one to two hours of personal care per week without raising the classification.
What you need to do
- Nothing immediate. The change is automatic.
- Check your October 2026 statement. Personal care lines should show no participant contribution
- If the statement still shows a contribution after 1 October, raise it with your provider in writing
- Plan a care plan review for late October to use the freed budget headroom well
What does not change
- Cleaning, gardening, transport, meals, and social support still attract a contribution
- Clinical Care remains fully government funded (no change)
- Classifications and quarterly budget figures remain the same
- Lifetime cap rules remain the same