Understanding your home care costs

Your total home care cost = government subsidy + your personal contribution + provider management fees.

WithSally is always free for families. The government subsidy is always free. Your personal contribution depends on your income and assets — assessed by Services Australia individually. Provider management fees come out of your budget, not your pocket.

Step 1: Your funding level determines your budget

Your ACAT assessment places you in one of 8 funding levels. Each level comes with an annual government subsidy — the higher your level, the greater your care needs and the larger your budget.

Indicative subsidy rates effective November 2025. Subject to indexation. Source: Department of Health and Aged Care.

Step 2: Your means-tested contribution

Services Australia assesses your income and assets to determine your personal contribution. The three illustrative scenarios below give a general picture — your actual contribution is determined individually.

These are illustrative scenarios only. Your actual contribution is determined by Services Australia individually, based on your income and assets at the time of assessment.

Step 3: Provider management fees

Providers charge a management fee from your budget — not out of your own pocket — to cover coordination, administration, and case management. Fees vary by provider and must be clearly disclosed before you sign anything.

Always ask for a full written fee schedule before signing. The right provider maximises the portion of your budget spent on actual care — not administration.

How to get your actual figure

Your formal cost estimate comes from two government assessments — both free.

WithSally is always free for families. We are paid a referral fee by the provider when you sign a service agreement — you never pay us a cent.

Want to understand your options before your assessment?

We can help you prepare and connect you with a provider once you're approved — free.