Two changes land on Support at Home on 1 October. The one everyone’s heard about is personal care becoming free. The quieter one is that Support at Home budgets are increasing to cover the latest pay rise for aged care nurses, and some providers will use that moment to review what they charge for nursing. If your provider proposes an increase, there are rules they have to follow. Here’s the plain-language guide.
What’s Changing
From 1 October 2026, Support at Home subsidy rates and some supplements are increasing. The extra funding supports the final award wage increase for registered and enrolled aged care nurses, which took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 August 2026, as part of the Fair Work Commission’s Aged Care Work Value Case.
In practical terms, your quarterly budget goes up to help cover the higher cost of employing nurses. Your Support at Home classification does not change because of this increase. And you don’t need to do anything for it to apply.
Why Your Nursing Price Might Change
Providers set their own prices under Support at Home, because the planned service price caps were deferred indefinitely earlier this year. With nurses now costing more to employ, some providers will review the hourly price of their nursing services and may propose an increase.
That isn’t automatically unfair. Nurses genuinely are being paid more, and the government is increasing budgets precisely so that cost can be absorbed. But it’s the kind of change worth looking at properly rather than signing off without reading.
What Your Provider Must Do
If your provider wants to increase a price, they can’t just change it on your next statement. Your prices are part of your service agreement, so a price increase needs to be communicated to you in advance and agreed, with the new price reflected in your agreement. My Aged Care’s guidance is that if you’re unsure about a proposed change, you can ask your provider for more information and time to consider it.
The government has also asked providers to limit price increases to no more than two a year. That’s an expectation rather than a legal cap, but it gives you a reasonable benchmark for what’s normal.
How a Nursing Price Rise Actually Affects You
Here’s the part most people miss. Nursing is clinical care, which is fully government funded, so you don’t pay a personal contribution toward it. A higher nursing price therefore doesn’t come directly out of your pocket.
What it does affect is your budget. If the hourly price rises, the same budget buys fewer hours of nursing. The budget increase from 1 October is designed to offset that. So the useful question is whether your provider’s price rise is broadly in line with the extra funding, or whether it goes further and quietly reduces the nursing hours you can get.
How to Judge Whether It’s Reasonable
A few reference points help. The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority publishes pricing advice for Support at Home, including a unit price for registered nurses in standard hours of around $184.55 an hour in its 2026-27 advice. It’s advice, not a cap, but it’s the clearest published benchmark for what a reasonable price looks like. The government’s quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices is another useful comparison.
If your provider’s proposed price sits well above those references, it’s a fair question to ask them why.
What to Do
Read any letter or updated agreement your provider sends rather than signing it on the spot. Ask for the old and new price side by side, and how many nursing hours your budget will now cover. Take the time you need. If something doesn’t sit right, raise it with your provider first, then with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission if needed. Free, independent help is available from the Older Persons Advocacy Network on 1800 700 600, and an Aged Care Specialist Officer at Services Australia can explain your costs. General information is on My Aged Care.
The Bottom Line
From 1 October, Support at Home budgets increase to fund the latest pay rise for aged care nurses, and some providers will review their nursing prices at the same time. Any increase has to be communicated and agreed through your service agreement, and you’re entitled to ask questions and take time. Nursing costs you nothing directly, but a price rise can reduce the hours your budget buys, so check the new price against the published benchmarks. This is general information, not aged care, legal or financial advice.
Epik Wire covers aged care in plain language for older Australians and their families. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.
