CHSP in South Australia
Last updated 21 August 2026
The short version
- CHSP is the entry-level home help program - small per-service contributions, quick to start, no national queue. South Australia is where part of it began: Meals on Wheels was born here.
- CHSP is not ending. On 20 August 2026 the government confirmed it continues standalone until at least 30 June 2029. What that means.
- SA's market is anchored by long-established local not-for-profits - ECH, Resthaven, Meals on Wheels SA - and some publish full CHSP price lists, which makes comparing unusually easy here.
- Prices vary genuinely between providers. Always ask for the written contribution schedule and hardship policy before you sign.
How CHSP works in SA
CHSP is national: government grants fund around 1,300 organisations to deliver task-based help - cleaning, meals, transport, personal care, social programs, minor home mods - to about 830,000 older Australians. You pay a small contribution per service, the government covers the large majority of the cost, and every provider must have hardship arrangements so inability to pay never blocks a service. It's built for people who need one or two kinds of help a few hours a fortnight; more than that points to Support at Home.
South Australia's home support scene is unusually local: rather than national chains, the household names are SA-grown not-for-profits with decades of history - ECH, Resthaven and Meals on Wheels SA, whose movement famously began in South Australia in the 1950s. Private operators like SACARE also market CHSP domestic assistance in Adelaide. Footprints change, so confirm who currently holds CHSP funding in your area via My Aged Care's Find a Provider tool or ask us.
What it actually costs: real SA prices
CHSP contributions are set by each provider within national guidance, and SA gives us a rare concrete example because ECH publishes its full CHSP client price list: about $19 an hour for weekday domestic assistance, around $29 for a day program, and nursing around $21 an hour, with allied health ranging from a few dollars to around $92 depending on the service. Nationally, typical contributions run around $5-$15 an hour for domestic help, $8-$12 for a delivered meal and $3-$10 per transport trip - so ECH's domestic rate sits above the typical range, which is exactly the point: the same service can differ by $10 an hour or more between providers in the same city. Compare before you sign.
Inability to pay must never be a barrier to CHSP services. Every provider is required to have reduction and waiver arrangements - ask for their hardship policy. Nobody should refuse a shower service or a meal because the contribution is unaffordable. See CHSP fees explained.
Getting CHSP in SA
Access is the national pathway: register with My Aged Care (1800 200 422 or myagedcare.gov.au), have a phone screening, then a home support assessment - usually at your home, more a conversation than a test. You'll receive referral codes and can start with any local provider that has capacity, typically within days to a few weeks; there's no national queue for CHSP. Our step-by-step application guide has the details.
CHSP while you wait - and in regional SA
If you've been approved for Support at Home, SA's waits are a little better than the national picture - a median of around 286 days from application to services starting in the first official wait-times report - but that's still most of a year. CHSP is the standard bridge: My Aged Care can refer you for interim CHSP services while you wait. See the waitlist in SA.
Beyond Adelaide and the near-regions, coverage thins through the Riverland, Limestone Coast and the Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas - though SA's not-for-profits run deeper regional footprints than most states enjoy. In the far north, remote communities are generally served through flexible Aboriginal aged care services rather than mainstream CHSP. See providers in regional SA for who covers your area.
Want the price comparison done for you?
Tell us your postcode and what help you need. We'll show you which SA providers cover your area, what they charge, and who has capacity now.
Common questions
Why does one provider charge $19 an hour for cleaning and another $10?
Because CHSP providers set their own contributions within national guidance, based on ability to pay and their own policies. Both can be legitimate. The contribution must be published, agreed in your service agreement, and reinvested into services - and hardship reductions must be available. It's always worth asking two or three providers for their schedules before choosing.
Is CHSP ending in 2027?
No - that plan was abandoned. On 20 August 2026 the government confirmed CHSP continues as a standalone program until at least 30 June 2029, with consultation on its long-term design starting in 2026. Anything citing "1 July 2027" is out of date. Read our summary.
Can I get Meals on Wheels through CHSP?
Yes - delivered meals are a core CHSP service, and Meals on Wheels SA is one of the state's signature providers (the movement started in South Australia). You pay a contribution per meal - typically around $8-$12 nationally - which covers your share; CHSP subsidises the service side of preparation and delivery, while the ingredient cost is yours. Ask My Aged Care to include meals in your referral.
Sources
- My Aged Care, myagedcare.gov.au - Commonwealth Home Support Programme, accessed August 2026.
- Ministers Butler and Rae, media release, 20 August 2026 - CHSP standalone until at least 30 June 2029 (as reported by ABC News and sector press).
- ECH - CHSP client price list, July 2025.
- CHSP 2025-27 Program Manual and National Client Contribution Framework, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
- Aged Care Act 2024 Wait Times Report (System Governor, May 2026) - state median waits, Nov 2025-Mar 2026.
- Report on Government Services 2026 (Productivity Commission) - CHSP client numbers.