What CHSP costs: small contributions, set by ability to pay

Last updated 21 August 2026

Provider price examples on this page are from published 2025-26 CHSP price schedules (ECH July 2025; Uniting AgeWell February 2026; Dementia Australia current policy), checked August 2026.

The short version

There is no set government fee for CHSP. Each provider sets its own contributions under national guidance, based on your ability to pay.
Typical contributions are small - often $5-$15 an hour for cleaning or personal care, $8-$12 per delivered meal, $3-$10 per transport trip.
The government still pays the large majority of the cost - on average around $3,900 per client per year, against contributions of a few hundred dollars.
Inability to pay can never be a barrier to service. Every provider must offer reduced or waived fees in hardship.
Fees vary between providers for the same service - always ask for the written contribution schedule before you agree.

How CHSP contributions work

CHSP providers receive government grants that cover most of the cost of your services. On top of that, they ask clients for a contribution per service. The rules sit in a National CHSP Client Contribution Framework, and the principles are consistent everywhere:

Contributions must be fair, transparent and published, and agreed with you in your service agreement - no surprises.
They’re based on your ability to pay, not a formal means test. There’s no Services Australia assessment for CHSP.
Contribution revenue must be reinvested into services.
Providers must give reasonable notice before changing fees - for example, Dementia Australia’s policy gives four weeks.
Your initial planning conversation isn’t chargeable.

National guidance price ranges exist for each service type, but the practical picture is best seen in what real providers actually charge.

Real prices from published provider schedules

These are examples from providers who publish their CHSP prices - treat them as typical, not fixed. Your local provider’s schedule may differ:

Domestic assistance and personal care: commonly $5-$15 an hour. ECH in South Australia charges $19 an hour on weekdays.
Delivered meals: commonly $8-$12 per meal; Uniting AgeWell’s Meals on Wheels tops out at $17.50.
Transport: commonly $3-$10 per trip; Dementia Australia charges $5 a trip.
Social support groups: around $15 a session, up to about $30 for a full day with lunch (Dementia Australia $15 group / $30 full day; ECH day program $29; Uniting AgeWell $27.50).
Individual respite: around $9.80 an hour at Dementia Australia.
Nursing: around $21 an hour at ECH. Allied health: roughly $6-$92 depending on the service at ECH; $22.50-$45 at Uniting AgeWell.
Home maintenance: around $30-$37.50 an hour per crew member at Uniting AgeWell.

Worth comparing

The same service can differ by $10 or more an hour between providers in the same city. Before you agree to services, ask each provider for two documents in writing: their client contribution schedule and their hardship (fee reduction) policy. Both should be readily available - the framework requires fees to be published.

If you can’t afford the contributions

Say so - plainly and early. Every CHSP provider must have arrangements to reduce or waive contributions where paying would cause hardship, and the national framework is explicit that inability to pay must never stop you receiving a service. NSW Health’s own CHSP policy puts it simply: “inability to pay will not preclude clients from receiving services.” You won’t need to hand over financial paperwork the way you would for a means test; a conversation with the provider is the usual path.

Moving to Support at Home changes the fee model

CHSP’s flat, small contributions apply regardless of your income or assets. Support at Home is different: contributions are means-tested percentages of each service’s price - and former CHSP clients are not covered by the “no worse off” grandfathering rules. If a reassessment toward Support at Home is on the horizon, read what changes when you move first.

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Common questions

Is there a means test for CHSP fees?

No. CHSP has no formal means assessment - that’s one of its biggest differences from Support at Home. Providers set contributions based on ability to pay under national guidance, and self-funded retirees pay the same published contribution as pensioners with most providers.

Can a provider refuse me service if I can’t pay?

No. The national framework requires that inability to pay never be a barrier to service. If you’re struggling, ask the provider about their fee reduction or waiver arrangements. If you feel a provider isn’t doing the right thing, you can contact the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600 for free support.

Why does my neighbour pay less for the same service?

Probably a different provider. Each organisation sets its own contribution schedule within the national guidance, so a fortnightly clean might cost $10 an hour with one provider and $19 with another. It’s reasonable to compare - and you can ask My Aged Care for referrals to more than one provider.

Can my provider raise fees without telling me?

No. Fees are agreed in your service agreement, and providers must give notice of changes - commonly around four weeks. If a fee increase would cause hardship, raise it before it takes effect and ask about a reduction.

Would I pay more under Support at Home?

For everyday-living services like cleaning and meals, most people would - especially part-pensioners and self-funded retirees, whose Support at Home contributions on those services range from 17.5% up to about 80% of the full service price. The trade-off is a much larger funded budget. Our guide to moving to Support at Home covers this in detail.

Sources

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - CHSP 2025-27 Program Manual, Appendix E: National Unit Price Ranges and Client Contribution Framework (June 2026 update).
ECH - CHSP client price list, July 2025.
Uniting AgeWell - CHSP price schedule, February 2026.
Dementia Australia - Commonwealth Home Support Program client contributions public policy, accessed August 2026.
NSW Health - policy directive PD2025_015 (CHSP client contributions), April 2025.