Support at Home allied health funding in 2026
In 2026, allied health for older Australians at home is funded through the Support at Home program, which started on 1 November 2025 under the Aged Care Act 2024. Allied health and therapy sit in the clinical supports category, so participants pay no contribution for them. Government price caps were due on 1 July 2026 but have been deferred.
Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth)
Aged Care Rules 2025
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Support at Home program manual
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Restorative Care Pathway
How funding reaches allied health
Support at Home replaced the Home Care Packages Program and Short-Term Restorative Care. Each participant is assessed and placed in one of eight ongoing classifications with a quarterly budget. Services must come from the Support at Home service list, which includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, podiatry, dietetics, exercise physiology and allied health assistant services. The participant's registered provider either employs allied health staff or subcontracts to an allied health practice, and claims the cost from the participant's budget through Services Australia. The framework sits in the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Aged Care Rules 2025.
Clinical supports and contributions
The service list is grouped into three categories. Clinical supports, including nursing, care management and allied health, are fully funded by government with no participant contribution. Independence services such as personal care and social support attract contributions from around 5 percent for full pensioners to 50 percent for self-funded retirees. Everyday living services such as cleaning and gardening range from about 17.5 percent to 80 percent. Because allied health is classified as clinical, a physiotherapy or occupational therapy session costs the participant nothing beyond their budget. In May 2026 the government also announced that personal care would move into the clinical category.
The Restorative Care Pathway
Support at Home includes a short-term Restorative Care Pathway aimed at helping older people regain function after illness, injury or a decline. It provides intensive multidisciplinary services for up to 16 weeks with a budget of around $6,000 per episode, coordinated by a restorative care partner. Allied health is central, with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and exercise physiology commonly involved. A participant can access up to two non-consecutive episodes. Separately, the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications Scheme funds equipment and modifications, often prescribed by an occupational therapist, outside the ongoing budget.
Prices and the deferred caps
The Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority was asked to develop government-set price caps for each service, due to start on 1 July 2026. On 19 May 2026 the Minister for Aged Care deferred the caps without a new start date, alongside stronger powers for the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to order refunds for overcharging, and a quarterly National Summary of Support at Home Prices. Until caps begin, providers set their own prices and subcontracted allied health practices negotiate rates with the registered provider. Prices must be published, reasonable and reflected in the participant's monthly statement. Check the Department's Support at Home program manual for the latest position.
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