Cleaning services under Support at Home
Domestic cleaning is one of the most used services in Support at Home. It sits in the Everyday Living service stream, which means a participant contribution applies to the published rate. Understanding the rules helps you avoid surprises on your monthly statement and get more out of the quarterly budget.
- Cleaning is in the Everyday Living service stream and attracts a participant contribution.
- Typical rates run roughly 65 to 85 dollars per hour depending on provider and region.
- Light domestic help is funded. Spring cleans, gardening, and pet care are not.
- From 1 October 2026 personal care moves to fully government funded but cleaning does not change.
What cleaning under Support at Home covers
Support at Home funds light domestic help that a participant can no longer manage safely on their own. The intent is to maintain a safe and hygienic home, not to provide a full house service.
- Vacuuming, mopping, and dusting in main living areas
- Bathroom and kitchen surface clean
- Changing linen and basic laundry
- Wiping accessible cupboards and reachable windows
What it does not cover
- Heavy spring cleans or deep carpet shampooing
- Gardening, mowing, or pruning (these sit under Everyday Living gardening, a separate budget line)
- Pet care, including walking dogs or cleaning pet bedding
- Cleaning rooms not used by the participant, for example a flatmate's space
How the contribution works
Cleaning sits in the Everyday Living stream so the participant contributes a share of the published hourly rate. The contribution percentage depends on income and assets and is set by Services Australia. A full age pensioner currently contributes 17.5 per cent of the published rate. A part age pensioner contributes 50 per cent. A self funded retiree contributes 80 per cent.
The government pays the rest from the participant's quarterly budget. If a provider charges above the published rate, the participant pays 100 per cent of the gap, not just the contribution share. That is why brokered cleaners can quietly burn through a quarter's budget faster than expected.
Tips to make cleaning hours go further
- Keep the schedule consistent. Same day each week is easier on the participant and the provider.
- Group services where possible. If a personal care worker is in the home, ask whether they can change linen at the end of the visit.
- Track rate creep. Decode each monthly statement and compare the rate per hour over time.
- Use the Budget Calculator to see how many cleaning hours your classification can support.