"They'll never pay for a cleaner." That's what Bev, 79, decided before she even asked. But the vacuuming left her breathless, the bath was getting risky to lean over, and the washing baskets were piling up faster than she could shift them. The house she'd kept spotless for forty years was winning.
Bev's story is an illustrative scenario, created to show how Support at Home works in practice. It is not a real client testimonial.
A cleaner is one of the clearest yes answers on the Support at Home service list, which replaced Home Care Packages on 1 November 2025. What matters is what "cleaning" means to the program.
Where cleaning sits on the service list
Support at Home groups every service into three categories. Cleaning is domestic assistance, an everyday living support, alongside laundry, meal preparation and home maintenance.
What the funding is for
Support at Home funds cleaning because a safe, hygienic home helps you stay living there, not because a tidy house is nice. That's why the tasks look like this: vacuuming and mopping so the floors aren't a trip hazard, cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, changing the bed, keeping on top of the laundry.
Where routine cleaning ends
Regular domestic assistance that keeps your home safe and liveable is the everyday case. A one-off deep spring clean, clearing years of clutter, or cleaning parts of a property you don't use can be treated differently, sometimes not funded at all.
Before you book a clean, ask your provider "is this domestic assistance in my plan, and is this job covered?" Routine questions get an instant answer from Partner with Care; grey-area ones get a same-day answer.
Will you pay a contribution?
Possibly. Domestic assistance is an everyday living support, and a participant contribution can apply. The amount depends on your means, such as whether you receive the Age Pension, so a full pensioner and a self-funded retiree can pay different rates. Get your figure from My Aged Care on 1800 200 422.
Self-managing means you choose the cleaner
When you self-manage, funded cleaning doesn't mean a stranger sent by a roster you never see. You choose who comes into your home and can keep the same person week to week, while Partner with Care handles the claiming, compliance and paperwork as your registered provider. Your budget is live on screen, so you can see what's available before booking. That's how self-managed care gave Bev her spotless house back.