Consider a couple at the kitchen table with a Support at Home approval letter and one worry: is this going to cost us a fortune? They've heard it's free, that there are fees, that it depends on your assets. They want a straight answer about who pays for what.
This example is illustrative. Contribution rules and prices are set by the Australian Government and can change.
The government funds most of it
The bulk of your care is covered by government funding, allocated on your assessed needs rather than on what you can afford. You don't pay for funded services out of pocket; the funding is claimed on your behalf.
Your contribution depends on circumstances
Depending on your situation you may be asked to make a means-tested contribution towards some of your services. Our contributions explained guide goes deeper, and the definitive detail is on My Aged Care and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.
Service prices and self-managing
Service prices are shaped by government price arrangements. Self-managing means more of your budget can go to care rather than management overheads, because you coordinate your own support. Weigh it up with self-managed vs provider-managed fees and how pricing works under Support at Home.
Working out your own numbers
If you've been approved, we can walk through your funding, your assessed contribution and the services you want. If you're not yet funded, start with am I eligible for Support at Home?