From 1 October 2026, personal care under the Australian Government's Support at Home program becomes fully government-funded. For older Australians who receive, or are thinking about, in-home care, this is the most significant change to the program since it launched in July 2025 — and it is good news. It means help with everyday personal tasks such as showering, dressing and personal hygiene no longer carries an out-of-pocket cost. If this applies to you or someone you care for, here is what actually changes and what you do not need to worry about.
Why is this happening?
From 1 October 2026, personal care services under Support at Home move from the Independence contribution category to the Clinical Supports category. Care in the Clinical Supports category is fully funded by the Government — participants pay zero out-of-pocket for it. This reflects a policy principle that essential personal care should not be limited by someone's ability to pay.
The change was announced by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and confirmed by My Aged Care in the lead-up to the October start date.
What counts as 'personal care'?
The services covered are the practical, day-to-day tasks many families provide informally, and which professional carers support with at home. The official personal care service list includes:
If you already have personal care approved in your plan, the change applies automatically — you do not need a new assessment or new paperwork.
- Showering and bathing assistance
- Dressing and undressing
- Personal hygiene, including grooming such as hair, nails and oral care
- Non-clinical continence support
- Help with eating and drinking
- Assistance with self-administering medication
Do I need to do anything?
In most cases, no. If you already receive personal care under Support at Home, the change is applied automatically; you will not be asked to re-apply or be reassessed for what you already have.
The practical time to act is in specific situations.
If you are about to sign a new service agreement, check that personal care is itemised as fully funded and that no contribution is listed for it.
If you are on a waitlist or considering Support at Home, ask for personal care in your plan. From 1 October it is fully covered, which may make more care affordable than it was before.
If anything in your monthly statement looks unclear, your provider should be able to explain the split between fully-funded clinical supports and services that still carry a contribution.
Is everything free from October? No — here is what still costs money
It is important the change is not over-stated. Personal care aside, contributions still apply to other everyday services in the Independence and Everyday Living categories.
There is also a lifetime cap on these non-clinical contributions, which is indexed regularly. Your provider is required to be transparent about what carries a contribution and what does not — if that is not clear, keep asking. You can find the current cap amount and indexation details on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.
- Domestic assistance (cleaning, laundry)
- Transport to appointments and errands
- Meals
- Other everyday living supports