Bolton Clarke vs Silverchain: fees and models compared
Last updated 20 August 2026
Provider fees verified from published pricing effective 1 July 2026, accessed August 2026. Budget figures current as at 1 July 2026.
The short version
- These are Australia’s two largest not-for-profit full-service in-home care organisations, and both publish complete Support at Home price lists effective 1 July 2026 - the cleanest full-service comparison you can make.
- On published weekday rates, Bolton Clarke is the cheaper of the two: personal care $126/hr vs Silverchain’s $136.50/hr, cleaning $112/hr vs $128/hr, and a care management rate of $155/hr vs $175/hr.
- Coverage may decide it for you: Bolton Clarke publishes services across QLD, NSW, SA, VIC and WA; Silverchain publishes WA and SA price lists, with the group also operating services in QLD, NSW and VIC.
- Neither charges a separate package administration fee, and Silverchain absorbed the KinCare brand - kincare.com.au now redirects to silverchain.org.au.
Side by side
| Bolton Clarke | Silverchain | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Full-service | Full-service |
| Ownership | Not-for-profit | Not-for-profit |
| Care management fee | 10% of quarterly budget (the government allocation); care management rate $155/hr for ongoing services ($185/hr restorative and end-of-life) | 10% of quarterly budget deducted by Services Australia; care management rate $175/hr, with no out-of-pocket costs or co-contributions charged for care management (WA list, 1 July 2026) |
| Other admin / loading fees | No separate package administration fee. Assistive technology admin 10% capped at $500; home modifications 15% capped at $1,500 | No separate package administration fee listed |
| Personal care, weekday | $126/hr | $136.50/hr (WA list, 6am-6pm) |
| Cleaning, weekday | $112/hr (general house cleaning, laundry, shopping) | $128/hr (general house cleaning and laundry, WA list) |
| Coverage | QLD, NSW, SA, VIC, WA | WA and SA (state price lists published); the group also operates services in QLD, NSW and VIC |
| Distinctive features | 24/7 nursing heritage (RSL Care and RDNS legacy); overnight respite offered (minimum 10 hours); group social support minimum 6 hours; RN $189/hr, EN $157/hr; Australia’s largest independent not-for-profit in-home care provider | Long-standing nursing organisation (general nursing $238.50/hr on the WA list); pro-rata charging beyond the first hour; 48 hours cancellation notice; separate SA price list published; absorbed the KinCare brand |
Silverchain prices its services state by state - the figures above are its WA list effective 1 July 2026, and its SA list differs. Weekday standard rates shown; evening, weekend and public holiday rates are higher on both providers’ lists. “Not published” means the figure does not appear on the provider’s published pricing as at August 2026.
What the fee structures mean in practice
Here is one worked example at Classification 5, which has a quarterly budget of $10,182.38 in 2026-27. With both providers, the government’s 10% care management allocation comes off first: $1,018.24, leaving a service pool of $9,164.14 for the quarter. Care management is clinical care, so it costs you nothing personally - but the hourly rate decides how much coordination time that $1,018.24 buys.
Bolton Clarke
- Classification 5 · $10,182.38/qtr
- 10% care management = $1,018.24 - about 6.6 hours of care-partner time at $155/hr
- Service pool
- $9,164.14 a quarter
- In hours
- ≈ 72 hrs/qtr of personal care at $126/hr - around 5.5 hours a week
Silverchain
- Classification 5 · $10,182.38/qtr
- 10% care management = $1,018.24 - about 5.8 hours of care-partner time at $175/hr
- Service pool
- $9,164.14 a quarter
- In hours
- ≈ 67 hrs/qtr of personal care at the WA rate of $136.50/hr - around 5 hours a week
Because neither provider adds a separate administration fee, the comparison really is this simple: the same budget buys around five more hours of personal care a quarter at Bolton Clarke’s published rates, and slightly more care-management time too. If your week is mostly cleaning, the gap is similar - $112/hr against $128/hr. Your own means-tested contribution then applies per service in the same way with either provider - see what you’ll pay.
Every figure on this page comes from Bolton Clarke’s and Silverchain’s published pricing, verified in August 2026 (both lists effective 1 July 2026). Providers adjust prices often, and the government publishes a quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices for benchmarking. Ask each provider for its current price list in writing before signing a service agreement.
Which suits you?
Choose Bolton Clarke if…
- Lower published hourly rates matter most, and you want the same budget to stretch to more hours of personal care or cleaning.
- You live in QLD, NSW or VIC and want a provider with a directly published east-coast price list.
- You need overnight respite or group social support - both appear on its published list with stated minimums, so you can plan around them.
Choose Silverchain if…
- You’re in WA or SA, where Silverchain publishes dedicated state price lists and has its deepest service roots.
- Nursing is central to your care plan and you want a provider built around clinical care at home.
- You were a KinCare client - your provider’s brand has become Silverchain, so staying put may be simpler than switching.
Neither answer is “better”. Both are large, established not-for-profits with transparent pricing - the choice usually comes down to where you live, the mix of services you need, and which local team you click with. It’s worth asking each for a home visit before deciding.
Not sure which fits your situation?
Tell us your classification, postcode and the services you use most, and we can help you compare these two - and any others servicing your area - for your situation.
Common questions
I was with KinCare - what happened?
The KinCare brand has been absorbed into Silverchain: as at August 2026, kincare.com.au redirects to silverchain.org.au. If you were a KinCare client, your services now sit under Silverchain and its published price lists. Check your next monthly statement against Silverchain’s current list, and if you’d rather move elsewhere, you can switch providers at any time - exit fees are banned under Support at Home.
Why is Silverchain’s care management rate higher if the fee is 10% for both?
The 10% allocation is set by government and is the same everywhere - see the care management fee, explained. What differs is the hourly rate booked against it: $155 at Bolton Clarke, $175 at Silverchain. At Classification 5 that’s the difference between about 6.6 and 5.8 hours of care-partner time a quarter for the same money. Neither costs you anything out of pocket - care management is clinical care, which is free for everyone.
Will personal care rates still matter after 1 October 2026?
Yes. From 1 October 2026 personal care (showering, dressing, grooming, continence care) is reclassified as clinical care, so your means-tested contribution towards it drops to zero - Silverchain’s own price list notes the change. But the hourly rate still comes out of your quarterly budget, so a lower rate still buys you more hours. See free personal care from October 2026.
Do either charge exit fees or lock-in terms?
Exit fees are banned under Support at Home for every provider. Silverchain asks for 48 hours notice to cancel a visit; Bolton Clarke publishes minimums on some services (10 hours for overnight respite, 6 hours for group social support). Ask both to confirm cancellation terms and minimum visit lengths in writing before you sign.
Sources
- Bolton Clarke - Support at Home pricing (effective 1 July 2026), boltonclarke.com.au/support-at-home/support-at-home-program/sah-pricing/, accessed August 2026.
- Silverchain - WA Support at Home price list (effective 1 July 2026), silverchain.org.au (fees and charges, SaH price list WA), accessed August 2026.
- Silverchain - Support at Home contributions and fees, silverchain.org.au/getting-started/support-at-home/support-at-home-contributions-and-fees, accessed August 2026.
- KinCare - kincare.com.au/pricing/ (redirects to silverchain.org.au, verified August 2026).