A genuinely positive change is coming for older Australians receiving care at home: from 1 October 2026, personal care services like showering and dressing will be fully government-funded under the Support at Home program, with no out-of-pocket cost. But aged care costs overall remain complex, and knowing how to check what you’ll actually pay is essential. Here’s a clear guide, with links to the official tools.
What’s Changing in October
From 1 October 2026, the Australian Government will fully fund personal care services under Support at Home. Personal care, things like help with showering, dressing, and continence support, is moving into the fully-funded clinical supports category, which means eligible participants will pay nothing out of pocket for these essential services.
The government has framed this as recognising personal care as fundamental to a person’s health, dignity, and wellbeing, rather than treating it as an optional extra. You can read the official detail on the change directly from the source.
What Still Has a Cost
It’s important to understand what isn’t becoming free. While personal care and clinical care will be fully funded, co-contributions still apply to some everyday living services, things like cleaning, gardening, transport, and meal preparation. How much you contribute depends on your assessed financial circumstances.
This is where understanding the broader cost structure matters, because aged care fees in Australia are genuinely layered and depend on your individual situation.
How to Check What You’ll Pay
The single best way to understand your likely costs is to use the official fee estimators rather than relying on guesswork or second-hand information. My Aged Care provides free, official tools that estimate your costs based on your circumstances.
For most people, the process starts with an assessment, which determines both your eligibility and your funding level. An income and means assessment then determines what, if anything, you’ll contribute. The starting point for all of this is the My Aged Care website or phone line on 1800 200 422.
The Other Protections Coming
The October change is part of a broader package of consumer protections for Support at Home participants. The government has also given the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission new powers to order refunds where providers are found to be overcharging, and a new national summary of Support at Home prices is being published to help families compare what providers charge. Together, these measures are designed to make in-home care more affordable, transparent, and fair.
What Families Should Do
If you or a loved one receives or is applying for Support at Home, a few practical steps help. Use the official fee estimators to understand your likely costs rather than guessing. Review your provider’s monthly statements carefully once the new protections are in place. And begin any assessment process early, since wait times for home care can still stretch many months despite recent funding increases.
The clearest, most reliable source for all of this is always the official one: myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422.
Epik Wire explains aged care costs and reform in plain language for families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay across every change.
