While both CHSP and Support at Home aim to help people remain living independently and safely at home, they are designed for different levels of care needs and operate in different ways.
Service providers for CHSP and SAH must be approved for the programs they provide. Not all home care providers will be approved providers of both programs. For example, Prestige Inhome Care is an approved SAH provider but does not provide CHSP services.
What is the Commonwealth Home Support Program?
The Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) provides entry-level support services for older Australians who need a low level of assistance to continue living independently and safely at home. Generally, CHSP is suitable for people who require basic support services.
What is Support at Home?
The Support at Home program is designed for older Australians with more complex or intensive care needs. It provides a coordinated approach to delivering support at home and offers ongoing access to services, assistive technology, equipment, and home modifications to help people remain independent for longer.
Support at Home may be appropriate for people who need assistance with multiple everyday tasks or whose care needs are more complex.
Services Available
CHSP Services
CHSP can provide support with:
- Help around your home
- Transport
- Meals
- Personal care
- Home adjustments
- Social support & community engagement
- Nursing, allied health & therapy
- Planned respite care such as home or community respite
Support at Home Services
Support at Home provides support across three broad categories:
1. Clinical supports: Includes nursing care, occupational therapy, and podiatry. As of October 1st 2026, personal care is also included in this category.
2. Independence supports: Includes transport and respite care.
3. Everyday living supports: Includes cleaning, gardening, shopping and meal preparation.
Support at Home also includes three short-term pathways: Restorative Care, Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM), and the End of Life Pathway.
Costs and Fees
Both CHSP and SAH require participants to contribute to the cost of care based on the types of services received and what the participant can afford. The difference lies in how these payments are calculated.
CHSP
Client contributions are determined by CHSP providers. All CHSP providers must have a client contribution policy. Your costs will be discussed before services begin and included in your service agreement. Discussions with your provider should cover your capacity to pay. You cannot be charged the full-service amount for CHSP services.
Support at Home
Co-contributions depend on the service category and your pension status and financial means, as assessed by Services Australia. Services provided under the clinical supports category are fully government-funded. This means you will not be required to contribute towards services such as nursing and physio. Services under the Independence and Everyday Living categories require co-contributions based on whether participants are full or part pensioners or self-funded retirees.
View our SAH co-contributions factsheet.
There is a lifetime cap on co-contributions on SAH services of approximately $140,000 (as of September 2026). Once the threshold has been reached, you will not be required to pay further co-contributions. The co-contribution threshold is indexed twice per year. Participants who have reached the threshold will be notified by Services Australia.
Eligibility
To be eligible for government-funded support under CHSP and SAH, you must be:
Aged 65 years or older, or an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years or older, or homeless, or at risk of homelessness and aged 50 years or older.
Eligibility is determined through an aged care assessment conducted through My Aged Care. Eligibility and approved services are outlined in your Notice of Decision following assessment.
Apply for an assessment: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/apply-online
Assessment and Approval Process
The assessment process for CHSP and SAH is as follows:
- Apply for an aged care assessment through My Aged Care.
- Complete your assessment.
- If approved, you’ll receive an assessment outcome letter (Notice of Decision) outlining the services you’re eligible to receive.
The process after differs slightly for CHSP and SAH.
For those who are approved for CHSP services:
After you receive your Notice of Decision, you’ll be able to connect with a service provider. You may receive a referral from your assessor, or you may choose to contact providers yourself. You can search for CHSP providers on the My Aged Care website here.
Once you’ve chosen a provider, they can begin arranging your approved services.
Find out more about the post-assessment process for CHSP applicants.
For those who are approved for SAH services:
After you receive your Notice of Decision, you’ll be added to the Support at Home waitlist. In the meantime, you can learn about your contributions and research Support at Home providers. Read our handy guide for finding the right provider for you.
Funding is allocated according to the services approved and your priority category. Once funding becomes available, you can choose a provider and enter into a service agreement.
You have 56 days from the date of your funding allocation letter to enter into a service agreement and commence services. A 28-day extension may be requested through My Aged Care if required.
Find out more about the post-assessment process for SAH applicants.
Wait Times
There are waitlists to receive funding under CHSP and SAH. Your time on the waitlist depends on where you live and the services you need.
CHSP
Unlike SAH, CHSP operates on a system where local providers have capacity limits and fixed funding caps. This means that wait times can vary by location, provider, capacity and service type.
Support at Home
Funding wait times depend on the services you have been approved for and your assigned priority category. Funding is allocated separately for each approved service. This means you may be able to start receiving some supports before all of your funding becomes available.
If wait times for ongoing funding are longer than expected, you may be assigned interim funding, which provides 60% of your approved funding so you can begin accessing critical services while waiting for your full allocation.
As of June 2026, funding wait times for SAH are as follows:
- Urgent priority: Within 1 month
- High Priority: 1 month
- Medium Priority: 5-6 months
- Standard Priority: 7-8 months
As at 30 June 2026, over 100,000 Australians were waiting for ongoing Support at Home funding.
Resources and Support
Additional information on both the CHSP and SAH programs can be found:
On the My Aged Care website: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/
On the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s website: https://www.health.gov.au/
By contacting Services Australia and speaking with an Aged Care Specialist Officer
If you have been approved for SAH funding, you can contact Prestige Inhome Care on 1300 10 30 10 to discuss your care needs and ask any questions you may have about Support at Home. You may also wish to ask about privately funded services, which you can set up while you’re on the SAH waitlist, or as a top-up on your existing SAH funding.
To find approved CHSP providers, visit https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/find-a-provider/search