Could a home care package pay for groceries, carpet cleaning or a grab rail? The answer depends on the exact service, why it is needed and what has been approved for the person. A task can appear in the government service list without being approved for every participant, and some related household costs are expressly out of scope.
TL;DR: Check three things separately: whether the activity fits the current Support at Home service list, whether it is approved in this person’s support plan and available budget, and what participant contribution applies to their circumstances and transition status. A listing is not automatic approval.
Which home care program and rules apply now?
Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages (HCP) Program and Short-Term Restorative Care Programme on 1 November 2025. For current service scope, use the Department’s service list; the Department overview and My Aged Care guide explain the program. Sources checked on 5 November 2026.
HCP Level 1 to 4 labels may remain in transition paperwork, but they do not identify each approved service. Check the current decision letter and support plan. See how Home Care Package levels transitioned to Support at Home.
The Commonwealth Home Support Programme remains separate; its rules are not Support at Home rules.
What counts as an inclusion under Support at Home?
The list groups services into three participant contribution categories: Clinical supports, Independence and Everyday living. It sets out 14 service types and 49 services, with in-scope and out-of-scope descriptions. The Department’s service-list page linked above explains which activities may be funded.
Types include nursing, allied health, personal care, social support, respite, transport, domestic assistance, home maintenance and meals. The in-scope column explains eligible activities; the out-of-scope column sets limits and identifies general expenses. Neither column approves a service for an individual.
In short, the list asks “could this help be in scope?”; the assessment and support plan ask “is it approved for me?” Then check the service agreement, budget and contribution separately. For examples of using approved funds, see what you can spend a home care package on.
Clinical supports and personal care: what are the boundaries?
Nursing and allied health may be in scope when they address age-related functional or care needs and support independent living. List examples include nursing assessment, wound care and medication administration, and therapy to maintain or restore function. Medical diagnosis and treatment, medicine dispensing, ambulance and hospital costs, and services better funded elsewhere are among the exclusions. A service name alone does not establish eligibility.
Personal care may include essential daily help with mobility, eating, hygiene or self-administered medication. The list treats waxing and hairdressing as general expenses, and pharmaceuticals or dose administration aids as more appropriately funded through the health system.
The Department’s September 2026 service-list PDF places personal care delivered through 30 September 2026 under Independence and services delivered from 1 October 2026 under Clinical supports. This category change does not remove assessment, approval or budget requirements.
Independence supports: when does help stop short of the related expense?
Independence services support social connection, community participation, transport to usual activities, respite and therapeutic services. The list covers help to participate, not an open-ended allowance for leisure or everyday travel costs.
Assistance to attend an appointment or activity may be in scope, while tickets, accommodation and membership fees are listed as general expenses. Transport can connect a person with usual activities, but the list excludes holiday travel, vehicle running costs and professional transit such as public transport, flights or ferries. Other travel-assistance programs may apply.
Before booking, ask the provider to match the trip to the approved service and purpose. Appointment transport and holiday travel are not interchangeable.
Everyday living: which household costs are not care services?
Support at Home may fund eligible help with a household task without paying for every good, upgrade or service connected to it. The current list gives these examples:
| Service type | Examples described as in scope | Examples described as out of scope |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic assistance | Essential light cleaning, laundry and accompanied or unaccompanied shopping | Groceries and other purchased items; pet care; professional services usually paid for, such as carpet cleaning, pest control or dry cleaning |
| Home maintenance and repairs | Essential light gardening for safe access; minor repairs the person used to do themselves or that are needed for safety | Landscaping or aesthetic gardening; professional work usually paid for; work that is another party’s responsibility, such as a landlord’s or insurer’s |
| Meals | Help preparing meals at home or pre-prepared meals | Ingredients, takeaway delivery and meals delivered for other household members |
These examples are also set out in the Department’s September 2026 service-list PDF cited above; they are not automatic approvals. The list distinguishes essential minor repairs from professional work normally paid for, with a safety exception for imminent age-related risks such as uneven flooring that creates a falls risk. Check the exact scope and approval before arranging work.
How do you check an item that looks like a grey area?
Before booking or paying, check the following:
- Approval: Read the decision letter and support plan to confirm the service is approved and whether it is ongoing or short-term. See who can access Support at Home and how assessment works.
- Scope: Match the request to the list’s service type, in-scope purpose and any exclusions.
- Arrangements: Confirm available budget, service-agreement terms and participant contribution separately.
- Equipment or home changes: Check the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme. Do not assume a grab rail is ordinary maintenance.
- Other responsibility: Ask whether the health system, another program, landlord or insurer is responsible.
- Changed needs: Ask My Aged Care about a plan review or reassessment. A provider does not replace the aged-care assessment process.
Do transitioned Home Care Package participants follow different rules?
Some people who moved from HCP have contribution protection under the no-worse-off principle. The Department’s participant-contribution guidance says clinical supports, including personal care, have no participant contribution. It also says people receiving or approved for HCP on or before 12 September 2024 qualify for grandfathered contribution rates under Support at Home.
For this group, the outcome depends on the person’s HCP fee assessment on 31 October 2025. Those assessed as owing an HCP income-tested care fee will pay the same or less under Support at Home. Those assessed as owing no fee will not be asked to pay Support at Home contributions. The guidance was updated 1 October 2026 and checked on 5 November 2026. Check the person’s notice and current status, as circumstances can change.
This protects contributions, not service eligibility. It does not approve a new service, make an out-of-scope expense eligible or guarantee funding in the person’s plan and budget.
What to remember before arranging a service
Use three checks, in order: current service-list scope; the person’s assessment, approval and available budget; and the contribution and transition rules that apply to that person. Confirm the details with the support plan, provider and My Aged Care before arranging or paying for a service. If needs have changed, ask My Aged Care about a review. This guide does not establish that Timely Health Assist is an approved Support at Home provider.
Frequently asked questions
Does a service on the list mean it is automatically covered for me?
No. The list describes service scope. A person still needs the relevant assessment and approval, and the service must fit their support plan and available budget.
Can Support at Home pay for groceries?
The list distinguishes help with shopping or meal preparation from the goods being bought. It identifies groceries and meal ingredients as general expenses or out of scope, while eligible assistance with shopping or preparing meals may be considered under the relevant service type. Check the exact approval and circumstances.
Can Support at Home pay for home repairs or a grab rail?
Some essential minor maintenance or repairs may be in scope when they meet the list’s conditions, including a safety purpose. Professional repairs, aesthetic work and another party’s responsibilities have limits. A grab rail or other home modification should be checked under the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications scheme and the person’s approval, not assumed to be ordinary maintenance.
Are all transitioned HCP participants exempt from contributions?
No. Grandfathered contribution protection depends on the eligibility cutoff and the person’s assessed position under the former program. It does not remove participant contributions for everyone who transitioned, or guarantee approval for every service.
Information and official sources were checked on 5 November 2026. Aged-care rules, service lists and individual approvals can change. Confirm current details with My Aged Care and the relevant provider before making decisions.
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