What providers charge per hour — and how to tell if yours is fair
Last updated 20 August 2026
Figures current as at 20 August 2026: median prices from the mid-2026 National Summary of Support at Home Prices.
The short version
- Providers set their own prices. Government hourly price caps were legislated for 1 July 2026 but deferred indefinitely on 19 May 2026.
- Instead, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can order refunds for overcharging, monthly statements are mandatory, and the government publishes a quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices.
- National medians: personal care around $115/hour, cleaning around $110, nursing around $145–$180. Full table below.
- Evening and weekend surcharges are common — always ask for the full price list before signing.
Why there's no price cap (for now)
Support at Home was meant to get government-set hourly price caps from 1 July 2026. On 19 May 2026 the government deferred them indefinitely, opting for transparency and enforcement instead. Consumer groups including COTA and OPAN criticised the deferral; providers welcomed it. What exists in place of caps:
- Refund powers — the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can order a provider to refund participants it finds have been overcharged.
- Mandatory monthly statements — every charge against your budget must be itemised, so overcharging is visible. Our guide to reading your statements shows what to look for.
- Quarterly price publication — the government's National Summary of Support at Home Prices reports what providers actually charge, giving you the medians below to benchmark against.
National median prices, mid-2026
| Service | National median (per hour) |
|---|---|
| Cleaning / domestic assistance | Around $110 |
| Social support | Around $111 |
| Personal care | Around $115 |
| Gardening (safety) | Around $118 |
| Community respite | Around $130 |
| Nursing — enrolled nurse | Around $145 |
| Home maintenance | Around $150 |
| Nursing — registered nurse | Around $180 |
| Physiotherapy | Around $194 |
| Occupational therapy | Around $222 |
Medians are weekday-daytime benchmarks. Half of providers charge less than these figures, half charge more — a price somewhat above median isn't automatically a rip-off, but a long way above deserves an explanation.
Evening, weekend and public-holiday surcharges are common and can add substantially to the hourly rate. Some providers also charge travel. Before signing a service agreement, ask for the complete price list — including after-hours rates — in writing.
How to benchmark your provider
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Pull out your price list or latest statement
10 minutesFind the hourly rate for each service you use. If you can't find a price list, ask your provider for one — you're entitled to it.
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Compare against the medians above
10 minutesNote anything well above the median, and check whether surcharge hours explain the gap. Remember every dollar of price is also a dollar of budget: at around $115/hour, a Classification 5 budget buys roughly 88 hours of personal care a quarter; at $150/hour, about 67.
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Ask, then act
This weekAsk your provider to justify above-median prices — some genuinely offer more (consistent workers, better trained staff, rural coverage). If the answer doesn't stack up, you can switch providers at any time, with no exit fees and your unspent funds following you.
Want a second opinion on your provider's prices?
Send us your price list and we'll tell you honestly how it compares with what similar providers charge — and whether switching would leave you better off.
If you think you've been overcharged
Start with your provider: query the charge in writing and ask for a correction on your next statement. If that goes nowhere, complain to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which can investigate and order refunds. Our complaints and refunds guide walks through the process step by step, including what to put in writing and how long each stage takes. Free advocacy support is available from OPAN on 1800 700 600 if you'd like someone in your corner.
Common questions
Are the price caps gone for good?
They're deferred indefinitely, not repealed — the government hasn't set a new start date. For now, plan on providers setting their own prices, with the quarterly National Summary as your benchmark. We track changes on our updates page.
Why do prices matter if a service is free to me?
Clinical care (and personal care from 1 October 2026) costs you no contribution — but the provider's price still comes out of your quarterly budget. A high hourly rate costs you hours of care instead of dollars.
Do higher contributions apply to higher prices?
Yes — your contribution is a percentage of the price. A self-funded retiree paying around 80% on cleaning pays $88 on a $110 hour but $104 on a $130 hour. Provider prices affect both your budget and your pocket. See what you'll pay for the percentages.
Can my provider raise prices mid-agreement?
Only in line with your service agreement, and they must tell you. If a rise arrives that you never agreed to, query it — and remember switching is free, needs no new assessment, and your funding follows you.
Where do I find the National Summary of prices?
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing publishes it quarterly on health.gov.au. It reports actual provider prices by service, which is where the medians on this page come from.
Sources
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — National Summary of Support at Home Prices (median service prices), 2026.
- Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — deferral of Support at Home price caps, announced 19 May 2026.
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission — pricing obligations, complaints and refund powers.
- Support at Home Program Manual — provider pricing and monthly statement requirements.