With just 119 days until the start of the Support at Home reforms, home care providers are quietly bracing for a critical question the Government has yet to truly confront: will older Australians be willing to pay for the services they’re entitled to?

From 1 November, clients approved for Home Care Packages after 12 September 2025 will be expected to contribute up to 15% of their service costs – a co-payment that could amount to $70 to $210 per week for basics like domestic assistance or personal care.

While policymakers see the change as a sustainable and fair step forward, many in the sector say it rests on a deeply flawed assumption.