If you receive care through the aged care Support at Home program, an important change to personal care funding came into effect on 1 October 2026.
Personal care services have moved from the Independence contribution category to the Clinical Supports contribution category. This means the Australian Government now fully funds eligible personal care services and participants no longer pay a contribution towards them.
There are some important conditions. Personal care must be approved in your support plan, and you must have available Support at Home funding.
So, what does the change mean for you? And should you be reviewing the personal care support you receive?
What is personal care?
Personal care is support with everyday activities that can help you maintain your independence, dignity and wellbeing at home.
Under Support at Home, personal care can include assistance with:
- showering
- dressing
- eating
- personal hygiene
- non-clinical continence management
- self-administration of medication.
The definition of personal care itself hasn’t changed. What has changed is the contribution category it sits within.
What has changed from 1 October 2026?
From 1 October 2026, participants no longer pay a contribution for personal care services delivered under Support at Home if:
- the personal care service is approved in their support plan, and
they have available Support at Home funding. - Importantly, the change doesn’t automatically increase the amount of personal care in your support plan or change eligibility requirements.
What could the change mean for you?
If cost previously influenced the personal care you received, or your care needs have changed over time, this may be a good opportunity to review your current support.
Think about your day-to-day routine and ask:
Am I getting the personal care support I need?
Perhaps your needs have changed. Maybe there are everyday activities you’d now like more support with. Or perhaps your existing personal care is working well for you.
There isn’t one right answer.
What matters is that your support reflects your assessed needs, goals and preferences.
Start by talking to your aged care provider
If you think you could benefit from different or additional personal care, talk to your aged care provider.
Your provider can discuss your current needs with you and explain what may be available within your support plan and funding.
The funding change doesn’t mean additional personal care is added automatically. Any changes still need to follow the relevant assessment, support planning and funding requirements.
Your personal care should feel personal
Funding is only part of good care.
Personal care can involve some of the most personal parts of your everyday routine. How you’re supported matters too.
You should be able to talk about what is important to you, including your routine, preferences and how you want your support delivered.
At Mobility, we believe care should put people first. Mobility works with aged care providers to help provide access to verified support workers for one-off, urgent and ongoing personal care needs.
If your provider determines that your personal care needs have changed, they can discuss the options available to you.
