Service agreements: what to check before you sign

Last updated 20 August 2026

The short version

The service agreement is the contract between you and your provider. It should spell out your services, the prices, the care management arrangement and your contributions — in writing, in plain language.
Red flags: any exit fee (banned), vague or missing prices, charges for things the program doesn't cover, and pressure to sign on the spot.
Your provider must send you a monthly statement showing what was delivered and charged.
Take the agreement away and read it before signing. Your 56-day window exists so you don't have to rush.

What a service agreement should contain

Before services start, your provider prepares a service agreement with you. Read it as the answer to five questions — if any answer is missing or fuzzy, ask for it in writing before you sign:

What services will I get? The types of services, how often, and roughly when — reflecting the care plan agreed with you, not a generic list.
What does each service cost? An itemised price list for every service you'll use, including any evening, weekend and public holiday rates, and travel charges if they apply. Compare these against the national median prices.
What am I paying in contributions? Your contribution percentage for each service category, based on your Services Australia means assessment. Clinical care is free for everyone. If the numbers don't match what you expected, query them before signing — our contributions guide shows what the rates should look like.
What does care management cost and include? The fee (capped at 10% of your quarterly budget) and what you actually get — who your contact is and how the plan is reviewed.
How do changes and endings work? How services are adjusted, what notice either side gives, and what happens to unspent funds if you leave. It should be plainly stated that there are no exit fees.

Red flags — walk away or push back

Any exit fee or "departure administration" charge. Exit fees are banned under Support at Home, full stop.
Vague pricing. "Prices available on request" or "fees may vary" instead of an actual price list.
Charges for excluded items — the program doesn't fund things like groceries, ornamental gardening or entertainment, and an agreement shouldn't smuggle them in. See the exclusions list.
Pressure to sign today. "This price is only available if you sign now" has no place in aged care. A trustworthy provider will happily let the paperwork go home with you.
Blank spaces left to be "filled in later", or verbal promises that don't appear in the document. If it matters, it goes in writing.
No mention of monthly statements or how you'll track your budget.

Never sign under pressure

You have 56 days from your funding letter to sign — and a 28-day extension if you need it. That's plenty of time to read the agreement at your kitchen table, show it to family, and come back with questions. If anyone hurries you, that tells you something important about how they'll treat you as a client.

Want a second pair of eyes?

Send us your questions about an agreement you've been given, or ask us to suggest providers whose paperwork we know is clean. Free, no obligation.

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Your rights once you've signed

A monthly statement is mandatory. Every month your provider must show you what services were delivered, what was charged, and where your budget stands. Check it — billing confusion was widespread in the program's first summer. Our statements guide shows what to look for.
Overcharging can be ordered back. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission can order providers to refund overcharging. If a statement doesn't add up and the provider won't fix it, see complaints and refunds.
You can renegotiate. The agreement isn't frozen — if your needs or preferences change, ask for it to be updated. Any change should come to you in writing.
You can leave at any time. No exit fees, no new assessment; your funding and unspent funds follow you to a new provider. See switching providers.
Free advocacy exists. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) on 1800 700 600 can help you understand an agreement or raise concerns — at no cost.

A sense-check before you sign

There's a simple habit worth borrowing from cooling-off periods elsewhere in life: once you're inclined to sign, put the agreement down and sleep on it. The next day, check three things with fresh eyes:

Do the numbers match what you were told?

Compare every price and contribution figure in the document against what was said in the meeting and the contribution rules.
Is everything you care about in writing?

The regular worker you were promised, the Tuesday-morning slot, the no-call-centre care partner — if it's not on the page, ask for it to be added.
Would you be comfortable showing it to your family?

If any clause makes you hesitate to show a son, daughter or friend, that clause needs explaining before you sign. Even after signing, remember you can renegotiate or leave at any time without exit fees.

Common questions

Can I ask for changes to the agreement before signing?

Yes. It's an agreement, not a take-it-or-leave-it form. Reasonable requests — naming your preferred schedule, clarifying a price, recording a promise made verbally — are normal, and a good provider accommodates them.

Is there a formal cooling-off period after I sign?

You don't need to rely on one: under Support at Home you can end the agreement and switch providers at any time, with no exit fees, and your unspent funds follow you. The better protection is simply not signing until you're satisfied — the 56-day window gives you that time.

What if my provider raises prices later?

Prices can change, but not silently — changes should be discussed with you and reflected in an updated agreement, and every charge appears on your monthly statement. If a new price seems far above the national medians, question it, and remember you're free to switch.

Someone in my family usually checks documents for me. Can they be involved?

Absolutely — and providers should welcome it. You can also have a representative recorded with My Aged Care, and OPAN (1800 700 600) offers free, independent help with understanding agreements.

Agreement signed? Set yourself up well

Learn how to read your monthly statements and keep your quarterly budget on track from day one.

Statements and budgets Get help

Sources

Support at Home Program Manual — service agreements, pricing transparency and monthly statement requirements.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, health.gov.au — Support at Home provider obligations, including the ban on exit fees, accessed 20 August 2026.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission — pricing oversight and refund powers (announced 19 May 2026).
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), 1800 700 600 — free aged care advocacy.