What Support at Home pays for, and what it doesn’t

Cleaning, laundry and shopping

It can pay for

• Essential light cleaning, like mopping, vacuuming and washing dishes
• Washing and ironing your clothes
• Shopping, with you or for you

It can’t pay for

• Professional services you would usually pay for, like pest control, carpet cleaning or dry cleaning
• Pet care
• The cost of your groceries and other things you buy

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; My Aged Care (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Gardening and repairs

It can pay for

• Light gardening for safety, like mowing, pruning and clearing the yard so you can get around safely
• Small, essential repairs you used to do yourself, or that keep you safe. For example, cleaning gutters, changing light bulbs or fixing a broken door handle

It can’t pay for

• Professional gardening, like tree removal or landscaping
• Gardening for looks, like planting or new garden beds
• Professional repairs you would usually pay for, like pest extermination, new cabinets or replacing worn carpet. The exception is an urgent safety risk from ageing, like uneven flooring that could make you fall
• Things that are someone else’s job, like your landlord, a public housing authority or your insurance

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; My Aged Care (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Meals

It can pay for

• Help to make meals in your home
• Meal delivery
• Pre-prepared meals

It can’t pay for

• The cost of ingredients
• Takeaway food delivery
• Meals for other people in your home

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; My Aged Care (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Transport

It can pay for

• Trips to your usual activities, alone or in a group
• A driver and car, or taxi or rideshare vouchers

It can’t pay for

• Buying a car, or your car’s running costs
• Licence costs
• Public transport, flights and ferries
• Travel for holidays
• Transport costs where a state or local government travel help program is available

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Social support

It can pay for

• Help to stay connected and join in community life
• Visits, and phone or online check-ins
• Someone to go with you, for example to appointments
• Help to join in cultural activities
• Help to learn to use technology, like paying bills online or using telehealth

It can’t pay for

• Tickets, accommodation or membership fees
• Buying a smart device, like a tablet, to go online
• Fees for other services, like funeral plans or an accountant

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Therapies like massage

It can pay for

• Treatment from an acupuncturist, chiropractor, osteopath, diversional therapist, art therapist or remedial massage therapist
• Remedial massage only from an allied health professional or accredited massage therapist, as part of a treatment plan for loss of function

It can’t pay for

• Massage for relaxation
• Costs to join a recreation program, like tickets or craft supplies
• Herbal medicines from a Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Respite

It can pay for

• Someone other than your usual carer looks after you and helps you, at home or in the community, alone or in a group

It can’t pay for

• Respite in an aged care home (residential respite). This is funded a different way.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Equipment and home changes

Support at Home can pay for equipment (assistive technology) and home changes (home modifications) that are on the official scheme list. This includes related services, and maintenance and repair.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Nursing

It can pay for

• Care from a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or nursing assistant
• For example, wound care, giving medicines, and checking and treating health conditions

It can’t pay for

• Services the health system pays for instead, like specialist palliative care

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Allied health

It can pay for

• Therapy to help you get back or keep your abilities, so you can stay safe at home
• For example, from an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, dietitian, psychologist, speech pathologist or social worker
• In person or by telehealth, alone or in a group

It can’t pay for

• Things the health system pays for, like ambulance and hospital costs, medical diagnosis and treatment, medicines, psychiatry and dental care
• Help through another government program you already have, like a Chronic Disease Management Plan or Mental Health Plan. Use that first

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Personal care

It can pay for

• Help with showering, dressing, eating and hygiene
• Continence support
• Help to take your own medicine, like arranging for a pharmacist to prepare Webster packs

It can’t pay for

• Services you would usually pay for, like waxing or hairdressing
• Medicines and dose administration aids. The health system pays for these

From 1 October 2026, you don’t pay for personal care if it is approved in your support plan and you have funds available.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; My Aged Care (checked 26 Oct 2026)

Nutrition and care management

• Nutrition: prescribed nutrition products and aids you need because of loss of function or impairment. Not products that weren’t prescribed for ageing-related needs, like weight-loss products.
• Care management: a care partner helps plan, organise and review your care. See our guide to choosing a provider.

Source: Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (checked 26 Oct 2026)