What you'll pay: contributions by situation
Last updated 20 August 2026
Figures current as at 20 August 2026: lifetime caps indexed 20 March 2026; quarterly budgets indexed 1 July 2026; median prices from the mid-2026 National Summary of Support at Home Prices.
The short version
- There's no basic daily fee. You pay a means-tested percentage of each service's price, by category.
- Clinical care (nursing, allied health, care management) is free for everyone.
- Independence services (personal care, transport, respite, social support): 5% for full pensioners, sliding to around 50% for self-funded retirees.
- Everyday living (cleaning, gardening, meals): 17.5% to around 80%.
- A lifetime cap of $137,917.01 ($86,185.23 if you're grandfathered) limits what anyone contributes in total.
Contribution rates at a glance
| Service category | Full pensioner | Part pensioner / CSHC | Self-funded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical care | Free | Free | Free |
| Independence | 5% | 5–50% (means-tested) | Around 50% |
| Everyday living | 17.5% | 17.5–80% (means-tested) | Around 80% |
Part-pensioner and CSHC rates slide with your means assessment. From 1 October 2026, personal care moves into the free clinical category for everyone.
Where your rate comes from: the means assessment
Your exact percentage is set by a means assessment done by Services Australia — not by your provider, and not by any website. Full pensioners don't need their finances re-examined: their rates are simply 5% and 17.5%. Part pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders land somewhere on the sliding scales depending on income and assets, and self-funded retirees generally pay the top of each range.
If you choose not to disclose your finances to Services Australia, you're automatically charged the maximum rates — around 50% on independence services and around 80% on everyday living. For most people the assessment produces a lower rate, so it's almost always worth completing.
Worked examples at median prices
These three examples use national median prices — personal care around $115 an hour, cleaning around $110, social support around $111, nursing and physio free to you as clinical care. They're illustrations of the shape of the system, not quotes.
Edna, full pensioner
- Classification 4 · $7,617.13/qtr
- Weekly: 2 hrs personal care, 2 hrs cleaning, fortnightly nursing visit
- Her contribution
- ≈ $50/week
- Why
- 5% on personal care ($11.50), 17.5% on cleaning ($38.50), nursing free. From 1 October: ≈ $39/week.
Frank, part pensioner
- Classification 5 · $10,182.38/qtr
- Weekly: 3 hrs personal care, 2 hrs cleaning, 1 hr social support, fortnightly physio
- His contribution
- ≈ $213/week
- Why
- His means test lands mid-range: 25% on independence, 45% on everyday living; physio free. From 1 October: ≈ $127/week.
Margaret, self-funded
- Classification 5 · $10,182.38/qtr
- Same weekly pattern as Frank
- Her contribution
- ≈ $404/week
- Why
- Top rates — around 50% and 80% — but clinical care is still free, and the lifetime cap applies. From 1 October: ≈ $231/week.
Want these numbers for your situation?
Tell us your pension status, classification and the services you use, and we'll talk you through what you'd actually pay — free and no obligation.
The lifetime caps
Contributions don't go on forever. Once your non-clinical contributions reach $137,917.01 over your lifetime, you stop paying contributions altogether. If you're protected by the "no worse off" grandfathering arrangements — broadly, people who had a Home Care Package or an approval on 12 September 2024 — a lower cap of $86,185.23 applies, alongside protected contribution rates. Both caps are indexed each 20 March and 20 September; the next indexation is 20 September 2026. Anything you paid toward home care fees under the old system counts toward your cap.
Common questions
Is there a basic daily fee like under Home Care Packages?
No. Support at Home has no basic daily fee and no income-tested care fee. You only pay contributions on the non-clinical services you actually receive — no services in a week, nothing to pay that week.
Who works out my percentage, and can my provider change it?
Services Australia sets your rate through the means assessment. Your provider applies it to their prices but can't change the percentage. If your finances change, you can ask Services Australia to reassess.
What happens if I never did a means assessment?
You'll be charged the maximum rates for your services until an assessment is completed. If you think you're paying more than you should, contact Services Australia about a means assessment — and check your monthly statements to see the rates being applied.
Do contributions come out of my quarterly budget?
No — your contribution is your share of the price, paid from your own pocket. The government's share comes from your quarterly budget. So a $110 hour of cleaning at 17.5% costs you $19.25, and the budget covers the rest.
What if I genuinely can't afford my contributions?
Financial hardship provisions exist through Services Australia, and nobody should go without care because they can't contribute. See our hardship guide.
Sources
- Support at Home Program Manual — individual contributions and service categories.
- Services Australia, servicesaustralia.gov.au — aged care means assessment.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home contribution arrangements and lifetime cap (indexed 20 March 2026).
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — National Summary of Support at Home Prices (median service prices), 2026.