It’s days away: on 1 October 2026, personal care under Support at Home becomes fully government-funded, removing an out-of-pocket cost for help with showering, dressing and continence. But there’s a second benefit that’s had far less attention. Because you’ll no longer contribute toward personal care, part of your budget is freed up, and you can redirect it to other services. Here’s the plain-language guide to making the most of the change.
What Changes on 1 October
From 1 October 2026, personal care services move from the “independence” contributions category into the “clinical supports” category. Because clinical supports are fully government-funded, this means you no longer pay any contribution toward personal care, regardless of your means. You’ll see the change reflected in your statements and invoices after that date.
You don’t need to do anything to be eligible. If personal care is already approved in your support plan and you have available funding, the change applies automatically, no new assessment, no paperwork, no application.
The Hidden Benefit: Freed-Up Budget
Here’s the part worth understanding. Under Support at Home, your funding is a set allocation. When you were contributing toward personal care, part of your budget effectively went toward that co-contribution. Once personal care becomes fully funded, that portion of your budget is freed up.
Depending on how much personal care you use and your contribution rate, that could be a meaningful amount of funding suddenly available for other services within your allocation. Domestic assistance, transport, social support and community participation all remain contribution-bearing services, so directing freed-up capacity toward these can make a genuine practical difference to daily life at home.
In other words, the change isn’t just a saving, it’s an opportunity to get more support from the same plan. It’s worth reviewing your plan with your provider after 1 October to see where that freed-up funding could do the most good.
Who Benefits Most
Everyone eligible benefits, but the size varies. Self-funded retirees, who have been contributing the most toward personal care (up to around half the cost of some services), see the largest change, both in saving and in freed-up budget. Full pensioners, who contributed less, benefit too, just by a smaller amount.
If the personal-care contribution has been making you ration help you need, that barrier lifts entirely from 1 October, so it may be worth revisiting how many hours you actually use.
The Fine Print
Two important details. The change isn’t retrospective, you keep paying any personal-care contributions right up until 1 October, with no refunds for payments made before then. And it applies specifically to personal care under Support at Home. Other services still carry means-tested contributions, and Commonwealth Home Support Programme participants aren’t affected by this particular change (that program isn’t expected to transition until at least July 2027).
Your provider may contact you before 1 October to update your service agreement or care plan to reflect the change. That’s routine, but read anything you’re asked to sign, and be alert that periods of change attract scammers, the government will never phone asking for bank details to “process” this.
What to Do
Three practical steps. Before 1 October, check your current statement to see what you’re paying for personal care, so you know your saving. After 1 October, check your statement to confirm the personal-care contribution has disappeared, errors happen and you’re best placed to catch one. And review your plan with your provider to see whether the freed-up budget can fund more of the other services you need. If you’d like help understanding your options, My Aged Care (1800 200 422), an Aged Care Specialist Officer at Services Australia, or an advocate through OPAN can assist. Details are on the My Aged Care page on the change.
The Bottom Line
From 1 October, personal care becomes free under Support at Home, a genuine win that also quietly frees up part of your budget to spend on other services. Everyone eligible benefits, with self-funded retirees gaining most. You pay until then with no refunds, other services still carry contributions, and there’s nothing to apply for. Check your statement before and after, and review your plan to redirect the freed-up funding where it helps most. This is general information, not aged care, medical or financial advice.
Epik Wire covers aged care in plain language for older Australians and their families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
