If you or a family member receives in-home aged care, an important change is coming that could reduce your out-of-pocket costs. From October, personal care services such as showering and dressing will be reclassified as clinical care, making them fully government funded. Here’s what that means in practice.
What’s Changing
From 1 October 2026, personal care services under the Support at Home program, including showering, dressing and continence management, will move into the clinical care category. Because clinical care carries no participant contribution, these services will become fully government funded.
For many older Australians, that’s a genuine reduction in the cost of daily support. The change follows sustained feedback from the community and sector, after concern that essential personal care was attracting co-payments.
“This means older Australians will now have the full cost of these services covered,” Dementia Australia stated.
Why It Matters
Personal care sits at the heart of helping people live well at home. Support with showering, dressing and continence isn’t optional for many older people, it’s fundamental to dignity and daily life. Asking participants to contribute toward these services drew significant criticism, including from health professionals and advocates.
Reclassifying them as clinical care recognises that these supports are essential rather than discretionary. The government has committed around $1 billion to fund the change.
Who Benefits
The change benefits Support at Home participants who receive personal care as part of their package. Under the previous arrangement, contributions applied to these services based on a participant’s means. From 1 October, that contribution disappears for the reclassified services.
If you’re unsure how this affects your own budget or service agreement, your provider can explain the specifics, and My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 is always a good starting point. You can also read more on the My Aged Care news and updates page.
What to Do Before October
It’s worth reviewing your current service agreement so you understand how your services are categorised now, and how they’ll change. When the reclassification takes effect, check that your statements reflect the removal of contributions for the affected services.
Keeping your paperwork organised, including your support plan and monthly statements, makes it far easier to confirm you’re being charged correctly once the change begins.
The Bigger Picture
This reform is part of a wider effort to make Support at Home fairer and clearer for older Australians. Alongside strengthened protections against overcharging and greater price transparency, the direction is consistent: reducing unfair costs and putting older people at the centre. For families, it’s a meaningful and welcome change worth understanding ahead of time.
Epik Wire covers aged care funding and reform in plain language for families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
