Zero Co-Contribution for Personal Care in Australian Home-Care Starts Oct 1

Starting on October 1, the Australian government will waive all co-contributions for personal care services provided through the Support at Home program, covering tasks like showering and dressing. Seniors must be approved for personal care in their support plan and have enough package funding, as the services still draw from that allocation. The policy aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenses, which could total around $10,400 per year for a typical user, but it does not expand the quantity of care delivered.

Contributions for other independence and everyday living services, such as transport, respite, cleaning, and gardening, remain unchanged and are calculated on a sliding scale. Consumers are advised to review their support plans to understand remaining costs and ensure they are maximizing their funding. The change offers financial relief but does not create additional care capacity.