Posted in Age care, Caring Hands, Clinical, Community Care, Support at Home

The Australian Government has announced an important change to the new Support at Home program. From 1 October 2026, eligible personal care services will be classified as clinical care, meaning they will be fully government funded.

For participants receiving approved personal care services, this means you will no longer need to pay a co-contribution towards those services.

What this means for you

If you currently receive personal care services through Support at Home:

  • you will no longer pay co-contributions for eligible personal care services delivered from 1 October 2026.
  • if personal care is already included in your approved support plan and funding is available, the change will be applied automatically. No new assessment is required.
  • co-contributions will still apply to some other services, including support provided under the Everyday Living and Independence categories.
  • Services delivered before 1 October 2026 will still require the usual participant contribution, even if you receive the invoice after that date.

For those Southcare participants who have been assessed and approved for personal care, this change means you will have more flexibility in your household budget and may wish to discuss additional support options with your Care Partner.

An important point to understand

While this change removes out-of-pocket costs for eligible personal care services, it does not increase the funding available in your Support at Home budget.

The cost of providing personal care services remains the same and will still be deducted from your Support at Home budget. The difference is that participants will no longer be required to make a personal contribution towards those services.

Put simply, the change reduces your direct costs, but it does not create additional package funding or increase the number of services available within your budget.

We’re here to help

To help everyone prepare for this change, Southcare Care Partners will discuss the new arrangements with participants during their monthly review calls throughout September.

If you have any questions about how these changes may affect your services, please speak with your Care Partner, who will be happy to assist.

About Southcare 

Southcare is a trusted, registered aged care provider in Perth, providing personalised in-home aged care services, community support and community connect programs that empower older adults to live their best life at home. Whether you’re seeking everyday assistance or specialised support at home, our caring hands and golden hearts are here when you need them most.  It’s your care, your way. 

  • Visit us at 53 Bickley Crescent, Manning WA 6152 
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Discover how we can support you at home 

 

Posted in Age care, Caring Hands, Clinical, Community Care, Support at Home