Support at Home Budget Statements: How to Read Every Line Item

What the Support at Home Budget Statement Is

From 1 November 2025, Australia’s aged care system replaced home care packages with the Support at Home program. One of the significant changes is a new approach to budget transparency. Under Support at Home, providers must give participants a clear, itemised monthly budget statement showing exactly how government funding and participant contributions are being spent.

If you have received your first statement and found it confusing, this guide explains every section and line item you are likely to see.

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The Structure of a Support at Home Budget Statement

A well-formatted Support at Home statement should contain the following sections:

1. Your classification level and total budget
2. Opening balance for the period
3. Services delivered and claimed
4. Participant contribution
5. Government subsidy applied
6. Unspent balance carried forward
7. Assistive Technology and Home Modifications budget (if applicable)

Not all providers format their statements identically, but these elements must be present under the Support at Home rules.

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Section 1: Classification Level and Total Budget

What it shows

Your classification level is determined by the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) and appears at the top of your statement. There are eight classification levels under Support at Home, from Level 1 (low needs) to Level 8 (very high needs). Each level has a set government funding amount.

2025-26 Support at Home classification funding (approximate):

Level	Approximate Annual Funding
Level 1	$11,000
Level 2	$16,500
Level 3	$23,000
Level 4	$31,000
Level 5	$43,000
Level 6	$57,000
Level 7	$75,000
Level 8	$97,000

These figures are indicative. Actual amounts depend on your individual assessment outcome and are updated annually by the Department of Health and Aged Care. To see what your classification level might mean in practice, you can estimate your Support at Home budget and contributions before your statement arrives.

What to check

Confirm that the classification level on your statement matches the level you were notified of after your IAT assessment. If there is a discrepancy, contact My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 before contacting your provider.

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Section 2: Opening Balance

What it shows

The opening balance is the amount of funding available at the start of the statement period. For your first statement, this will equal your initial budget allocation. For subsequent statements, it will be the amount carried forward from the previous month plus any new period allocation.

What to check

Compare the opening balance on this statement with the closing balance from your previous statement. They should match. If they do not, ask your provider to explain the difference.

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Section 3: Services Delivered and Claimed

This is the most detailed section and the one most people have questions about.

Service line items

Each service should appear as a separate line item showing:

• The date of service
• The type of support delivered (e.g., personal care, domestic assistance, nursing visit)
• The worker or provider who delivered it
• The quantity (hours or units)
• The unit rate charged
• The total cost for that line item

Example service line items:

Date	Service	Hours	Rate	Total
03 May 2026	Personal care	1.5	$62.17	$93.26
05 May 2026	Domestic assistance	2.0	$55.42	$110.84
10 May 2026	Nursing visit	0.5	$105.60	$52.80
14 May 2026	Community transport	1 trip	$23.00	$23.00

Rates are set by the Support at Home price guide. Providers registered under the program cannot charge more than the published rates without your written agreement. Across families using Carevo, the most-requested supports are personal care, domestic assistance and transport, so these are the line items you are most likely to be checking on your own statement.

What to check

Go through every line item and ask yourself:

• Did this service actually happen on this date?
• Was the duration correct?
• Is the rate within the published price guide range?
• Does the service type match what was delivered?

Cross-reference against any notes or calendar you keep of your care visits. Billing errors are not uncommon, and participants have the right to query any line item they cannot verify.

Cancellation charges

If a scheduled service was cancelled, you may see a cancellation charge on your statement. Under Support at Home rules, providers can charge a cancellation fee if notice is not given within a set period, typically two business days. The cancellation charge cannot exceed the cost of the service itself and must be disclosed in your home services agreement.

If you see a cancellation charge for a service that was cancelled by the provider, not by you, query it immediately.

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Section 4: Participant Contribution

What it shows

The participant contribution is the amount you are required to pay personally toward the cost of your care services. It is calculated based on your income and assets, as assessed by Services Australia.

Your contribution is means-tested. Participants with lower income and fewer assets pay less. There is a daily cap on the participant contribution and a lifetime cap, beyond which the government covers 100% of eligible costs.

Note that from 1 October 2026, personal care (such as showering, dressing, grooming, non-clinical continence support, eating, hygiene, and help self-administering medication) moves into clinical supports and becomes fully government funded, with no participant contribution. Until 1 October 2026 contributions applied to personal care; from then it is fully government funded, so you should not see a participant contribution against personal care line items.

How it appears on your statement

Participant contributions typically appear in one of two ways:

Option A: Per-service split Each service line item shows both the government subsidy portion and your contribution separately.

Option B: Summary at the bottom A single participant contribution total appears at the bottom of the services section, covering the entire month.

What to check

• Does the total participant contribution match what you expect based on your means assessment?
• If your financial situation has changed, contact Services Australia to request a reassessment. A lower income or reduced assets may reduce your contribution.

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Section 5: Government Subsidy Applied

What it shows

This section shows the total amount the government has contributed to your care costs for the period. It equals the total cost of services delivered minus your participant contribution.

What to check

The government subsidy plus your participant contribution should equal the total cost of services for the period. If the numbers do not add up, ask your provider for a reconciliation.

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Section 6: Closing Balance and Carryover

What it shows

The closing balance is the amount of unspent funding remaining at the end of the statement period. Under Support at Home, unspent funds generally accumulate across periods and can be accessed in future months, subject to limits.

This is a significant change from the previous home care package model, where unspent funds were more restricted.

What to check

• Is the closing balance consistent with the services you received?
• Is unspent funding accumulating in a way that is useful for you, or should you discuss increasing your service hours with your provider?
• Does the carryover match the opening balance on next month’s statement?

If you have a large unspent balance, consider whether your current services are meeting your needs or whether you could benefit from additional supports. If your provider is not making good use of your budget, it may be worth taking time to compare Support at Home providers and find one that better fits how you want to spend your funding. There are 2,131 aged care providers listed through Carevo, so you have plenty of room to compare and switch if your current arrangement is leaving funds unspent.

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Section 7: Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Budget

Not all participants will have this section. It appears on statements for participants who have been assessed as needing equipment or home modifications.

What it shows

The AT-HM budget is separate from your care services budget and can only be used for assistive technology (such as mobility aids, hearing devices, or monitoring equipment) and home modifications (such as handrails, ramp installation, or bathroom modifications).

AT-HM budget tiers under Support at Home:

Tier	Purpose	Approval Required
Low-cost AT	Items under $1,500	No prior approval needed
Mid-range AT	Items $1,500 to $15,000	Quote required
Complex AT and modifications	Items over $15,000	Prior departmental approval

What to check

• Do the items claimed against your AT-HM budget match equipment or modifications you actually received?
• Are the charges reasonable? Compare against supplier quotes you were given.
• Is there an unexplained balance reduction without a corresponding service or equipment entry?

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Common Errors to Look For

Budget statement errors do occur. The most frequent ones include:

Duplicate entries. The same service appears twice for the same date. This is most common when providers are transitioning between billing systems.

Wrong service type. A personal care visit is billed as nursing care, which attracts a higher rate.

Incorrect hours. A two-hour visit is billed as three hours.

Charges for cancelled services. A service you cancelled with adequate notice appears as a full charge.

Rate above the price guide. A provider charges more than the current Support at Home price guide allows without your prior written agreement.

Missing services. A service you received does not appear on the statement, which means it may not have been claimed and could affect your records.

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How to Raise a Query with Your Provider

If you identify a discrepancy, contact your provider in writing rather than by phone. This creates a record.

Your query should include:

• The statement period in question
• The specific line item or amount you are querying
• The reason you believe it is incorrect
• What resolution you are seeking (correction, refund, explanation)

Providers are required to investigate and respond within 14 days. If you are not satisfied with the response, escalate to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission at 1800 951 822.

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Keeping Your Own Records

The easiest way to catch errors is to keep your own simple record alongside your provider’s statements. A notebook or spreadsheet works well. Each time a carer or nurse visits, note:

• The date
• The type of service
• The time they arrived and left
• Any notes about what was done

When your statement arrives, compare it against your records. Discrepancies should stand out quickly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often will I receive a Support at Home budget statement?

Under the Support at Home program, providers are required to send budget statements at least monthly. Your statement should arrive within the first two weeks of the following month. If you do not receive a statement, contact your provider directly and request one in writing.

What is an Assistive Technology and Home Modifications budget in my statement?

The Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) budget is a separate pool of funds within your Support at Home plan used specifically for equipment and home modifications. It is not interchangeable with your care services budget. Claims against this budget require quotes and, for modifications above $15,000, prior approval from the department.

Can my provider charge me more than the published Support at Home price?

Registered providers cannot charge more than the Support at Home price guide rates without your prior written agreement. If you see a charge above the published rate on your statement, query it with your provider immediately. Independent providers operating under a different arrangement may have different pricing, which must be disclosed in your home services agreement.

What is the ‘participant contribution’ on my budget statement?

The participant contribution is the portion of each service cost that you are required to pay personally, based on your income and assets means test. It appears as a separate line item alongside the government subsidy component. Your total service cost equals the participant contribution plus the government subsidy.

What should I do if I find an error on my statement?

Contact your provider in writing as soon as you identify an error. Providers are required to investigate and respond within 14 days. If you are not satisfied with their response, you can escalate to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission or the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner.

Does unspent Support at Home funding carry over to the next period?

Yes, unlike the previous home care package model, unspent Support at Home funds generally accrue within your budget period and can be accessed in future months. However, there are limits on how much can accumulate, and funds are reviewed at your next reassessment. Check your current home services agreement for the specific carryover rules that apply to your classification level.