Support at Home Contributions: Tiers, Categories, and Caps

One of the most significant changes in the Support at Home (SAH) program is the way client contributions are calculated and collected. The old Home Care Packages model used a basic daily fee plus an income-tested care fee — both applied as flat daily charges regardless of which services were delivered. SAH does not have a flat basic daily fee. Instead, it replaces both HCP fees with a per-service contribution model: clients pay a contribution as a percentage of the cost of each individual service, with the rate determined by the service category and their means-testing group. For providers, this means fundamentally different billing processes, client communications, and financial reporting.

Under the former Home Care Packages program, client contributions were relatively straightforward. There was a basic daily fee (set at 17.5% of the single basic age pension) that all clients could be asked to pay, plus an income-tested care fee for clients whose income exceeded certain thresholds. These fees were calculated by Services Australia and applied as a flat daily charge — the same amount every day, regardless of whether the client received a nursing visit, a cleaning service, or no services at all.

SAH takes a fundamentally different approach. There is no flat basic daily fee and no flat income-tested care fee. Instead, clients pay a percentage of the cost of each individual service they receive. The percentage varies depending on two factors: the category of service being delivered and the client's means-testing tier. This means two clients receiving the same service may pay different contribution amounts, and the same client will pay different contribution rates for different types of services delivered on the same day.

The practical impact for providers is substantial. Contribution calculations now happen at the individual service level — every service delivered must be categorised, the client's tier must be applied, and the contribution amount must be calculated and communicated. Systems built for the HCP daily-fee model cannot handle this without significant modification.

Clinical supports include nursing and allied health. Independence includes social support, respite and transport. Everyday living includes domestic assistance, home maintenance and meals. Assistive technology and home modifications use their own scheme funding; check the applicable item and associated service rules. Clinical supports have a 0% participant contribution. Check the official service list before assigning a service category; descriptions, inclusions and exclusions matter.

For contribution purposes, personal care moves from Independence to Clinical supports for services delivered from 1 October 2026. Participants pay no contribution for approved personal care when Support at Home funds are available; the cost is drawn from their government-funded Support at Home budget. Services delivered before that date retain the applicable Independence contribution, even if claimed later. This changes the contribution category only; service IDs, worker qualifications and delivery requirements remain unchanged. See the Department’s personal-care guidance.

The following rates describe standard contribution arrangements. No-worse-off arrangements use different rates; confirm the participant’s arrangement and Services Australia advice before billing:

• Full-rate pensioners. Clients pay 0% for clinical supports, 5% for independence, and 17.5% for everyday living services. Full pensioners contribute modestly for non-clinical services while clinical care remains fully government-funded.
• Part pensioners. Clients pay 0% for clinical supports, between 5% and 50% for independence, and between 17.5% and 80% for everyday living services. The exact rate within these ranges is individually determined by Services Australia based on the client's income and assets assessment — it is a sliding scale, not a single fixed percentage.
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) holders. Assessed on the same sliding scale as part pensioners (0% / 5–50% / 17.5–80%), with the individual rate set in the participant's Services Australia assessment letter. Providers must apply the assessed rate — using a midpoint or default would overcharge the participant.
• Self-funded retirees (no CSHC). Clients pay 0% for clinical supports, 50% for independence, and 80% for everyday living services. Clinical care remains fully government-funded regardless of means.

The assessment is conducted by Services Australia and communicated to the provider via a contribution determination letter. Providers must not attempt to assess a client's group or rate themselves — the determination must come from Services Australia. If contribution advice is missing, confirm the applicable arrangements with Services Australia before billing; do not assume the participant owes nothing.

The following summary applies to standard contribution arrangements, not the no-worse-off cohort:

• Clinical supports: All 4 groups pay 0% — clinical care is fully government-funded. Independence: Full pensioner = 5%; Part pensioner = 5–50% (individually assessed); CSHC holder = 5–50% (individually assessed); Self-funded (no CSHC) = 50%. Everyday Living: Full pensioner = 17.5%; Part pensioner = 17.5–80% (individually assessed); CSHC holder = 17.5–80% (individually assessed); Self-funded (no CSHC) = 80%.

The contribution is calculated as a percentage of the actual service cost — the amount the provider charges, subject to any price caps set by the Department. For example, if a self-funded client receives a 2-hour domestic assistance visit costing $120, and domestic assistance is an everyday living service at 80%, the client's contribution for that service is $96.00. The remaining $24.00 is drawn from their quarterly SAH budget.

Providers must calculate and communicate contributions to clients for each service delivered, showing the service type, its category, the applicable rate, the contribution amount, and the amount drawn from the government-funded budget.

From 20 September 2026, the Support at Home lifetime contribution cap is $140,652.80 under standard arrangements and $88,934.57 under the no worse off principle. Caps are indexed on 20 March and 20 September.

No-worse-off contribution arrangements apply to people who, on 12 September 2024, were receiving a Home Care Package, on the National Priority System, or approved as eligible for a package. Transitioning from HCP alone does not establish eligibility: people first approved after that date use standard contribution arrangements.

Use the Department’s dated contribution schedule and the participant’s Services Australia advice to confirm the arrangement and contribution history. Support at Home has no annual contribution cap. Keep the participant’s determination and reconciliation records together when checking whether further contributions are payable.

SAH includes financial hardship provisions for clients whose contribution obligations cause genuine financial difficulty, even after means testing. A client (or their representative) can apply to Services Australia for a hardship determination, which may reduce or waive their contribution obligations.

The hardship assessment considers the client's income, assets, debts, essential living expenses, and any exceptional circumstances — such as high medical costs, supporting a dependent, or unexpected financial setbacks. If a hardship determination is granted, the client's effective contribution rate is reduced, sometimes to zero contributions. The determination is reviewed periodically, and the client may need to reapply if their circumstances change.

Providers have a clear obligation to inform clients about the hardship provisions when a client expresses difficulty paying contributions. This is not optional — failure to inform clients about hardship options could be considered a failure to support consumer dignity and choice under Standard 1 of the Aged Care Quality Standards, and may be raised during ACQSC assessment contacts.

In practice, providers should include hardship information in their client welcome packs, raise the option proactively during care plan reviews if a client's circumstances appear to have changed, and document that the client was informed of their right to apply.

Calculating per-service contributions manually — across Service categories and contribution arrangements, varying service costs, and lifetime cap tracking — is operationally burdensome and error-prone. A single miscategorised service or missed cap threshold creates billing errors that are difficult to unwind and may trigger compliance concerns.

Statura Care's Support at Home module automates the entire contribution workflow. Every service in your catalogue is mapped to the correct SAH category (clinical supports, independence, or everyday living). When a service is delivered, the system automatically applies the client's means-testing group and assessed rate, calculates the contribution amount, deducts it from the quarterly budget, and updates the client's cumulative lifetime contribution total.

The platform generates client-facing statements showing each service delivered, its category, the contribution rate applied, the client's contribution amount, and the amount drawn from their government-funded budget. Lifetime cap tracking runs continuously — when a client approaches their cap threshold, the system alerts the care coordinator so the transition to zero contributions is handled seamlessly.

SAH contribution management is part of Statura Care's aged care compliance software — 35 modules purpose-built for the Aged Care Act 2024. For the broader SAH framework — including classification levels, quarterly budgets, wellness goals, and short-term pathways — see our Support at Home program guide. To see how Statura Care handles SAH billing end-to-end, visit our SAH contributions and claims page.