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Funding Guide

What does Support at Home cost you?

The government funds most of your care — but you may be asked to contribute based on your income and assets.

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5 min readUpdated November 2025Free for families
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Cost to access WithSally
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ACAT assessment
Means-tested
Your contribution
1800 200 422
My Aged Care
The short version

Support at Home is government-subsidised. You will not pay for the full cost of your care.

However, depending on your income and assets, you may be asked to contribute a portion. Many recipients — particularly pensioners — pay little or nothing. The assessment is handled by Services Australia.

How the cost structure works

Part 1
The government subsidy
The government contributes a subsidy based on your funding level — approx. $10,731 to $78,106 per year (indicative, subject to indexation). This is paid directly to your provider to fund your approved services.
Part 2
Your means-tested care contribution
Based on your income and assets as assessed by Services Australia. If you have a higher income or significant assets, you pay a higher contribution. If you are on a full Age Pension with limited assets, your contribution is likely to be minimal.
Part 3
Provider fees
Some providers charge a management or care management fee from your budget. This is separate from your personal contribution. Ask your provider for a full fee schedule before signing a service agreement.

Who assesses my contribution?

Services Australia (formerly Centrelink) conducts the income and assets assessment. My Aged Care (1800 200 422) can refer you to Services Australia to begin this process.

The assessment is free. You will typically need to provide information about:

Your income — including Age Pension
Superannuation
Investments
Assets such as property or savings

Typical scenarios

Full Age Pensioner
indicative example only
Lower means-tested contribution. Many pensioners pay little or nothing beyond any applicable daily care fee.
Part pensioner / modest assets
indicative
A moderate contribution may apply, based on the means assessment outcome.
Self-funded retiree with significant assets
indicative
Higher contribution likely. You are still eligible for the program — the government still contributes.

These are illustrative scenarios only. Your actual contribution is determined by Services Australia based on your individual circumstances. Figures are indicative.

Is there a cap on what I pay?

Yes. There are limits on how much you can generally be required to contribute over your lifetime under the aged care means-testing framework.

The specific cap amounts are set by the Australian Government and subject to indexation. Contact My Aged Care (1800 200 422) or Services Australia for current figures.

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

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