Home Care Services in Canberra, ACT | In-Home Support Provider

Home Care in Canberra: Support at Home & Private Services

If you’re looking into home care services in Canberra, the options can feel overwhelming at first. Aged Care Guide is here to simplify the process.

There are government-funded pathways, private options, and a new program structure that came into effect in November 2025. Home care in Canberra covers everything from a few hours of weekly domestic help under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) through to high-level clinical support under the Support at Home program. Most services are delivered in your own home by trained support workers or registered nurses, with the goal of helping older Canberrans stay safe and independent where they feel most comfortable.

Home Care in Canberra at a Glance

Home care in Canberra refers to government-funded and privately arranged support services that help older Australians live safely and independently at home. Services range from occasional domestic assistance through to complex clinical and dementia care delivered by registered nurses and trained support workers.

Around 32 approved providers operate across the ACT, with services spanning from CHSP entry-level support right through to Support at Home Classification 8 – the highest level of funded in-home care available in Australia.

Types of Home Care Available in the ACT

Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)

For those who need a small amount of help at home, such as getting the house cleaned each week, a lift to a specialist appointment, or assistance preparing meals, the CHSP is where to start.

It’s accessed through a Regional Assessment Service (RAS) assessment booked via My Aged Care, and it’s generally quicker to get into than higher-level funded care. The CHSP will keep running in its current form until at least July 2027, after which it’s expected to fold into the broader Support at Home framework.

Support at Home Program

November 2025 marked a significant shift in how home care funding works in Australia. The old Home Care Package system was replaced by the Support at Home program, which introduced eight classification levels (up from four), quarterly funding budgets, and a more transparent approach to fees. The top classification now provides up to $78,106 annually, with a separate pool of up to $15,000 available for home modifications and assistive technology.

One of the more meaningful changes: clinical care services (nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy) are now fully covered by the government with no contribution required from participants, regardless of income or assets. Contributions still apply to independence and everyday living services, and these are means-tested through Services Australia. From October 2026, personal care services like showering and dressing will also shift to being fully funded.

If you or your family member was on a Home Care Package before 1 November 2025, the transition happened automatically. Anyone approved for or receiving a package on or before 12 September 2024 is covered by a “no worse off” guarantee, so your out-of-pocket costs won’t increase under the new system.

Privately Funded Home Care (No Wait List)

Not everyone wants to navigate the government pathway or can afford to wait. Private home care in Canberra skips the assessment, the queue, and the approval letter. You find a provider, agree on services and costs, and get started.

It’s a practical option for people who need help now, want more hours or flexibility than a funded package allows, or are bridging a gap while waiting for government funding to come through. Private services can also run alongside a Support at Home package.

DVA-Funded Home Care for Veterans

Veterans and war widows/widowers may qualify for home support through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Both the DVA Community Nursing program and the Veterans’ Home Care (VHC) program can cover in-home services, often at no cost to eligible recipients. Your GP can provide a referral, or you can contact DVA directly.

Home Care Services Offered in Canberra

Personal Care (Showering, Dressing, Mobility)

Support workers help with the physical tasks that can become difficult with age or illness: showering, bathing, dressing, grooming, continence care, and moving safely between bed, chair, and bathroom.

From October 2026, personal care will shift into the fully funded clinical care category under Support at Home, meaning no participant contribution.

Domestic Assistance and Home Help

These are the practical, everyday chores, such as vacuuming, mopping, laundry, dishes, bed changes, and putting together simple meals. These services sit in the “everyday living” category under Support at Home, which means contributions are income-tested.

Nursing and Clinical Support

Registered nurses visiting at home can manage wound care, oversee medication, monitor chronic conditions, assist with catheters, and support recovery after a hospital stay. Unlike most other services, clinical care is fully government-funded under Support at Home.

Transport and Community Access

Getting to a GP, seeing a specialist, attending a physio session, or keeping up with a community group – transport and social support keep people connected to life beyond the front door. These services fall under the “independence” category and attract means-tested contributions.

In-Home Respite for Family Carers

When a family member is the primary carer, in-home respite care gives them time to rest and recharge while a trained support worker takes over. Both CHSP and Support at Home include respite options, and a number of Canberra home care providers offer flexible, short-notice arrangements for when plans change unexpectedly.

Dementia and Palliative Support at Home

Dementia aged care involves more than personal support, covering behaviour strategies, safety planning, and approaches tailored to where someone is in their diagnosis. Palliative support is also available under the End-of-Life Pathway, providing approximately $25,000 available over 12 weeks to support those who want to remain at home in their final months. A number of Canberra providers have dementia-trained staff and registered nurses specifically for these situations.

How to Access Home Care in the ACT

Contact My Aged Care: Call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au to register. This is the entry point for all government-funded home care in Canberra and nationwide.
Book your assessment: For Support at Home, an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) conducts a comprehensive home assessment. For CHSP entry-level support, a lighter Regional Assessment Service (RAS) visit is arranged instead. Both are booked through My Aged Care.
Wait for your approval letter: Once assessed, you’ll receive a letter with your classification level and a unique referral code. Wait times vary by priority category.
Accept your funding: Log into your My Aged Care account and accept your classification within the required 56-day window.
Choose a provider in Canberra: Use your referral code to engage any approved home care provider in the ACT.

Contacting My Aged Care

You can call 1800 200 422 (Monday–Friday 8am–8pm, Saturday 10am–2pm). Interpreter services are available in a wide range of languages. You can also apply online or visit a local service centre and you’re welcome to bring a family member or carer along.

ACT ACAT/RAS Assessment

An assessor visits your home to understand your needs, health, and where extra support would make the most difference. It’s worth being upfront about the hard days, not just the easy ones. An assessment that reflects your actual situation will get you matched to the right level of support.

Waiting for and Accepting Your Package

Once assessed, you’re placed in a priority queue. People with urgent needs or safety risks are generally moved up.

When funding becomes available, you’ll receive a letter with your classification and referral code. You have 56 days to accept. If your health or home situation gets worse while you’re waiting, ring My Aged Care to request a priority review.

Choosing a Provider in Canberra

With your referral code, start talking to home care providers in Canberra. Compare their hourly rates, what their care management fee actually covers, whether staff are employed or subcontracted, and how they handle cover when your usual worker is away. Our directory is a good place to start shortlisting.

How Much Does Home Care Cost in Canberra?

Government Contributions and the Support at Home Fee Structure

Support at Home has no basic daily fee. What you pay depends on the service category and your individual income and assets assessment. Clinical services have no out-of-pocket cost. Independence services attract moderate contributions; everyday living services carry the highest co-contributions. Government-set price caps across all service categories are scheduled to come into effect on 1 July 2026.

Income-Tested Fees and Basic Daily Fees

Services Australia runs an income and assets assessment (structured similarly to the Age Pension means test) to calculate your personal contribution rate. Full Age Pensioners are at the low end of the scale; self-funded retirees without a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card are at the high end.

There’s a lifetime cap on non-clinical contributions of approximately $135,319, indexed twice a year. A lower cap of roughly $84,572 applies if you were previously exempted from certain Home Care Package fees, and any contributions already paid count toward it. Lodge your financial details with Services Australia early so you won’t be charged the maximum contribution rate by default.

Private Hourly Rates (Typical Canberra Range)

Private home care services in Canberra generally run between $55 and $90 per hour for domestic assistance and personal care. Nursing and specialist clinical services typically cost more. Evening, weekend, and public holiday rates are higher.

Self-Managed vs Case-Managed Package Fees

Self-managing your Support at Home package gives you more say in who delivers your services and how your budget is used. Care management fees (capped at 10% of your quarterly budget) cover care planning, service coordination, and oversight.

A fully case-managed arrangement means a care coordinator handles all the details on your behalf, which can be valuable when needs are complex or when family members are managing things from interstate.

Choosing and Switching Home Care Providers

What to Ask Before You Sign Up

Before locking in a home care provider in Canberra, get clear answers to these:

What are your hourly rates per service type, and how will the July 2026 price caps affect them?
What does your care management fee cover in practice?
Are your support workers employees or subcontractors?
How is cover arranged when my regular carer is on leave?
Can I pause or adjust services easily?
Do you have workers with experience in dementia care, palliative support, or my cultural or language background?
What’s your minimum visit length?

How to Change Providers If It’s Not Working

Switching home care providers in Canberra is straightforward. Put your notice in writing to your current provider – your service agreement will specify how much notice is required, usually 2–4 weeks. Contact your new provider with your My Aged Care details, and they’ll coordinate the handover. Any unspent quarterly budget follows you to the new provider. With decent planning, there should be no break in services during the changeover.

Districts and Surrounding Towns Covered

Most home care providers in Canberra cover the full spread of ACT districts: Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Woden, Gungahlin, Weston Creek, Inner North, and Inner South. Coverage regularly extends across the NSW border to Queanbeyan, Yass, Bungendore, Murrumbateman, and Braidwood.

If you’re outside the main urban area, ask providers upfront whether travel is included or if extra fees apply.

Find the Right Home Care Provider in Canberra

Choosing the right home care services in Canberra starts with having the right information. Our directory lists approved home care providers across the ACT, with details on services, coverage areas, and funding types, so you can compare and shortlist with confidence.

If you’re also exploring other care options for a loved one, see our aged care Canberra and retirement villages Canberra directories.

Need an extra hand? Call 1300 585 592 to speak with our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

For private services, expect to pay roughly $55–$90 per hour for domestic assistance or personal care in Canberra, with nursing and clinical services typically priced higher. For people on government-funded Support at Home, what you pay depends on the service category and your income assessment. Clinical services like nursing and physio are fully covered, while everyday living services like cleaning carry the highest participant contributions. Government-set price caps across funded services are due from 1 July 2026.

Wait times are based on priority category. People assessed as high priority, generally those facing urgent needs or at risk of harm, tend to receive funding faster than those assessed at medium or low priority. Call My Aged Care to ask about expected timeframes for your category, and let them know straight away if your circumstances change while you wait.

For private home care, yes, no assessment is needed. Just contact a provider and start. For government-funded Support at Home, an ACAT assessment is required. If you only need entry-level CHSP services, a RAS assessment is sufficient and generally quicker to organise than a full ACAT.

The CHSP is designed for older Australians with lower-level needs: a few hours of help each week with cleaning, transport, or meals, accessed via a RAS assessment. Support at Home (which replaced Home Care Packages in November 2025) covers a broader range of needs across eight classification levels, with quarterly budgets and structured care management. The CHSP is expected to transition into Support at Home no earlier than July 2027.

It depends on your support worker's employment arrangement. If they're directly employed by your current provider, they can't simply move across with you. But if they work as a subcontractor across multiple providers, continuity might be possible. When you're assessing new providers, ask directly, some are willing to engage a worker you already have a relationship with, or can match you with someone who brings similar experience and personality.

Yes, many home care providers in Canberra extend their service area across the border into Queanbeyan and surrounding NSW townships. Providers such as Goodwin and Right at Home ACT specifically list Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Yass, Murrumbateman, and Braidwood within their service coverage.

Support at Home in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600