Please note: the former Home Care Packages Program was replaced by the Support at Home Program on 1 November 2025. Funded in-home care in Australia now falls under Support at Home.
Two important changes to your care funding started on 1 October 2026, and both may benefit you. Personal care is now fully funded, which means more money stays in your pocket, and nurses’ wages have risen with extra government funding to cover the cost. If you receive care through the Support at Home Program, here is what these changes mean for you and your care plan in plain terms.
What Changed on 1 October 2026?
Two separate things changed on the same date:
- Personal care services became fully funded, so you no longer pay a contribution toward them.
- The government is funding providers to pay higher wages to registered and enrolled nurses, and your budget increases to cover that cost.
You do not need to fill in forms or reapply. These changes generally apply automatically.
Personal Care Is Now Fully Funded
For contribution purposes, personal care has moved from the “independence” category into the “clinical supports” category. In practical terms, the government now fully funds your personal care. You will not pay a contribution for approved personal care services if both apply:
- Personal care is included in your support plan, and
- You have enough funds available in your Support at Home budget.
The cost still comes out of your overall budget, but your personal contribution is no longer required.
Which Services Are Covered
The definition of personal care has not changed. The same services are included as before, now without a contribution:
- Showering and bathing
- Dressing
- Eating
- Personal hygiene
- Non-clinical continence management
- Assistance with self-administering medication
If you are unsure whether a particular service counts as personal care, your provider can confirm it against the official Support at Home service list.
What Has Not Changed
To avoid surprises in your statements, a few points remain the same:
- Services before 1 October still carry a contribution: Any personal care delivered before that date still attracts a contribution, even if billed later.
- Other services still involve a contribution: Domestic help, gardening, and other everyday living services still include a contribution based on your income and assets.
- How your care is delivered stays the same: The same workers, qualifications, and approach. Only the contribution category has changed.
- Your eligibility is unchanged: You still need to be approved for personal care and have available funding.
The Nurses’ Wage Increase and Your Budget
The government is funding providers to pay higher award wages to registered and enrolled nurses. To cover this, your Support at Home budget and some supplements will increase. Your classification level does not change because of this, and you are not being reassessed. The additional funding is intended to meet the higher cost of nursing wages. Your provider may review the price of nursing services. Providers generally must follow clear rules if proposing a price change: they should discuss the change with you, explain why it is needed, and obtain your agreement before applying it. Prices should not change without your consent.
Do You Need to Do Anything?
For the personal care change, no. It applies automatically, and your existing services continue.
However, you may wish to review your plan. Now that personal care does not require a contribution, you might choose to increase it if you have available funding in your budget. If you have been limiting showering or dressing support to manage costs, consider discussing an increase with your provider. If you are unsure how to start that conversation, aged care support in Wagga Wagga is available to walk you through your options.
What to Do If a Nursing Price Change Is Proposed
If your provider proposes a change to nursing prices, you are in control of the decision. You do not need to agree immediately. You can:
- Ask your provider to explain exactly why the increase is needed
- Ask for time to consider the information
- Seek support from a family member, friend, carer, or advocate
- Agree only when you are comfortable that the change is fair
Taking your time is reasonable. A good provider will give you clear information so you can decide with confidence.
In Summary
From 1 October 2026, two important changes to Australia’s Support at Home Program may benefit you. Personal care services are now fully funded, meaning you no longer pay a contribution for approved personal care such as showering, dressing and personal hygiene. At the same time, additional government funding is supporting higher wages for registered and enrolled nurses, with increased funding available to cover these costs. These changes generally apply automatically, with no new assessment or application required. Your provider can also help you review your care plan and understand how the changes may affect your services and budget.
How Home at Heart Supports You Through the Change
We are a family-owned and operated in-home care provider serving Wagga Wagga, the Riverina, and Geelong. Our team is across every detail of the 1 October changes, and we make sure your care continues smoothly without you needing to manage the paperwork behind it.
Our approach is simple: we keep you informed, explain anything that affects your plan or your costs, and never change a price without speaking with you first. If you would like to understand how these changes affect your care, or you wish to increase your personal care now that it is fully funded, we are here to help. Support in Wagga Wagga is available.
Call us on 1300 923 934 or visit homeatheart.com.au to talk it through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When did personal care become fully funded?
From 1 October 2026. Personal care delivered on or after that date carries no contribution for approved participants with available funding. Any personal care delivered before that date still attracts a contribution, even if billed later.
Q: Do I need a new assessment for these changes?
No. The personal care change applies automatically, and the nurses’ wage funding does not change your classification level. There is nothing you need to do for either change to take effect.
Q: Will my other services still cost money?
Yes. Everyday living services such as domestic help and gardening still involve a contribution based on your income and assets. Only personal care has become fully funded under this change.
Q: Can I increase my personal care now that it is fully funded?
Yes, as long as you have available funds in your Support at Home budget. Since personal care no longer requires a contribution, many people choose to increase it. Talk to your provider about updating your care plan.
Q: What happens if my provider wants to raise nursing prices?
They should discuss it with you, explain why, and obtain your agreement before any change applies. You can ask for more information and time to consider, and you can seek support from a family member, friend, carer, or advocate before deciding.
For more information about how Home at Heart can support your care needs, please contact our team.
