Additional financial boost for Commonwealth Home Support Programme

Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck, announced the funding boost on 20 January, saying this extra funding will provide older Australian with more choice over how and where they live.

“The choice to live safely and independently in their community has increasingly become a strong preference for senior Australians,” says Minister Colbeck.

“The Government continues to invest in measures to make this possible no matter where people live.”

Along with this recent funding announcement, there was an additional $32.2 million provided per year over two years since 2020-21 and a separate allocation of up to $60 million in additional funding for the 2021-22 financial year.

Minister Colbeck adds that this funding will expand access to entry-level services to more older Australians across the country in the future.

Eligible aged care service providers are encouraged to apply for the CHSP funding to deliver home support services under this program.

More than 1,400 organisations are receiving funding to deliver CHSP home support services to nearly 840,000 older people.

The CHSP is entry-level aged care for people aged 65 years and over, or 50 years and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who require extra assistance with daily tasks around the home and in the community. 

This funding from the Government brings the total investment into the CHSP to $5.94 billion across 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Minister Colbeck says, “Maximising independence and autonomy is a key objective of the CHSP, to help people live their best lives as they get older.”

The grant opportunity GO3632 is now open and will close on 5 February 2021. Information for eligible providers and how to apply is available on Grant Connect.