Understanding exactly what the Australian Government will and will not pay for is critical to maximizing your Support at Home budget. Below is the complete 2026 schedule of approved services, clinical therapies, and capital supports.
1. Clinical Supports Service List (100% Funded)
Clinical care services are fully subsidised by the Commonwealth with zero co-payment required from the care recipient, regardless of income or asset level:
| Service Name | What is Covered | Co-Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | Complex clinical care, wound dressing, catheter management, diabetes monitoring, subcutaneous injections. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
| Physiotherapy | Mobility rehabilitation, balance training, fall prevention exercises, post-hospital recovery therapy. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
| Occupational Therapy | Home safety assessments, assistive equipment prescription, ergonomic and functional capacity evaluations. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
| Podiatry & Foot Care | Clinical nail care, diabetic foot monitoring, orthotic evaluations, circulatory assessments. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
| Speech Pathology | Swallowing assessments (dysphagia management), cognitive-communication therapy, speech rehab. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
| Dietetics & Nutrition | Clinical nutritional therapy, malnutrition prevention plans, specialised dietary management. | $0.00 (100% Subsidised) |
2. Independence & Personal Care Services
Independence services assist older Australians with activities of daily living (ADLs) to maintain dignified autonomy at home:
- Personal Hygiene & Grooming: Assistance with showering, bathing, sponge bathing, shaving, hair washing, and dressing.
- Mobility & Transfer Assistance: Support getting into and out of bed, chair transfers, and walking assistance.
- Medication Prompting: Reminders and physical assistance with pre-packaged Webster-pak medications.
- In-Home Respite: A qualified support worker caring for a loved one to provide family carers with necessary relief.
- Community Access: Transport and accompaniment to GP clinics, social clubs, religious services, and community activities.
3. Everyday Living & Domestic Assistance
Everyday living supports assist with household chores to maintain a hygienic and safe home environment:
- House Cleaning: Vacuuming, mopping floors, sanitising bathrooms, cleaning kitchens, and dusting.
- Laundry & Bed Linen: Washing, drying, folding clothes, and changing heavy bed linen.
- In-Home Meal Preparation: A support worker cooking fresh, culturally appropriate meals in your kitchen, batch cooking, and portioning for freezing.
- Delivered Meals (Lite n' Easy, Meals on Wheels): Subsidised meal delivery services for older Australians unable to safely prepare food.
- Lawn Mowing & Yard Safety: Clearing pathways, trimming hazardous overgrowth, and regular lawn maintenance to prevent slips and falls.
- Assisted Grocery Shopping: Accompanied transport to the local supermarket or personal grocery shopping completed on the client's behalf.
Meal Delivery Funding Rules: The 70% / 30% Statutory Split
A frequent source of confusion under both Support at Home and the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) is whether the government pays for commercial prepared meal providers such as Lite n' Easy, Meals on Wheels, or Tender Loving Cuisine.
The Commonwealth Government legally prohibits aged care funds from paying for basic everyday groceries. However, to support nutritional wellbeing, the government subsidises the labour and logistical cost of food preparation and home delivery:
| Component | Funding Source | Typical Share | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparation & Delivery | Commonwealth Subsidy (Support at Home / CHSP) | 70% | Commercial chef labour, commercial kitchen overheads, cold-chain packaging, and refrigerated door-to-door delivery. |
| Raw Ingredients (Co-Payment) | Client Out-of-Pocket | 30% | Raw food ingredients (meats, vegetables, grains). Typically $3.50 to $5.50 per main meal. |
- • Total invoice: $88.00 per week
- • Paid by Support at Home package (70%): $61.60 automatically deducted from his government budget
- • Paid by Karen's father (30% co-payment): $26.40 billed directly to his credit card or bank account
4. Assistive Technology & Home Modifications
Under the revised Support at Home capital funding framework, approved equipment is fast-tracked:
Approved Equipment:
- • Walking frames, rollators, and manual wheelchairs
- • Shower chairs, bath transfer benches, and raised toilet seats
- • Pressure-relieving mattresses and electric lift-recline chairs
- • Personal emergency response systems (wearable alarm pendants)
Approved Home Modifications:
- • Stainless steel bathroom and toilet grab rails
- • External and internal access threshold ramps
- • Easy-turn ergonomic lever tapware
- • Non-slip flooring treatments in wet areas
5. What is Strictly Excluded?
- • Everyday food and grocery purchases (household supermarket items)
- • Rent, mortgage repayments, or local council rates
- • Entertainment subscriptions (streaming services, cinema tickets)
- • Domestic or overseas holiday travel and accommodation
- • Gambling activities or lottery tickets
- • Services already fully funded by Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
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