Support at Home Costs and Prices
Clear, honest prices, so you always know where your funding is going and there are no surprises when your statement arrives. Esse Care helps older Australians make their Support at Home funding go further. We see your funding as a valuable asset, and our role is to help you manage it wisely and invest it in care that keeps you safe, independent and living the way you choose.
Service Type | Price (per hour) |
|---|---|
Cleaning and Laundry | $99 |
Shopping Assistance | $99 |
Light Gardening | $120 |
Minor Home Maintenance and Repairs | $135 |
Meal Preparation | $99 |
Meal Delivery (such as Lite n’ Easy) 3 | Supplier cost + 10% Administration Fee |
Notes
- The prices displayed are for Monday to Friday, 6am – 8pm. For the full price list, download the full PDF by clicking here.
- The administration fee covers the work we do behind the scenes: a Care Manager checks the service suits you, we check suppliers, meet safety rules and handle invoices.
- For meal delivery, you pay 30% (the cost of the ingredients) straight to the meal supplier. The other 70% (preparing and delivering the meals) is billed to Esse Care and paid from your Support at Home funding.
Service Type | Price (per hour) |
|---|---|
Personal Care | $105 |
Social and Cultural Support | $105 |
Accompanied Activities and Community Access | $105 |
Respite Care | $105 |
Direct Transport
(car and driver,
price per trip
including return) | $110 (1-5km) $120 (6-10km) $130 (11-15km) $140 (16-25km) $165 (26-50km) $225 (51-100km) |
Indirect Transport (Taxi and Ubers) | Supplier cost + 10%
Administration Fee |
Therapeutic Services (price per session) • Remedial Massage • Chiropractic • Acupuncture • Diversional Therapy • Art Therapy • Osteopathy | $194 |
Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (ATHM) 3 | Quote on request + 10% Administration Fee (for AT) or 15% Coordination Fee (for HM) |
Notes
- The prices displayed are for Monday to Friday, 6am – 8pm. For the full price list, download the full PDF by clicking here.
- The administration fee covers the work we do behind the scenes: a Care Manager checks the service suits you, we check suppliers, meet safety rules and handle invoices.
- For assistive technology purchases, a provider administration fee of up to 10% of the total cost is charged (capped at $500 per item). For home modification, a provider coordination fee of up to 15% of the quoted cost is charged (capped at $1,500 per project).
Service Type | Price (per hour) |
|---|---|
Nursing Care | |
▸ Registered Nurse | $173 |
▸ Enrolled Nurse | $140 |
▸ ATHM Prescription (non-face-to-face) | $91 per prescription (Basic) $148 per prescription (Advanced) |
▸ Medication Review | $345 per review |
▸ Comprehensive Assessment | $495 per assessment |
▸ Wound Assessment | $345 per assessment |
▸ Continence Assessment | $345 per assessment |
▸ Nursing Care Consumables | Supplier cost + 10% Administration Fee |
▸ Prescribed Nutrition Consumables | Supplier cost + 10% Administration Fee |
Allied Health and Other Therapeutic | |
▸ Physiotherapy | $340 for initial session $194 per ongoing session |
▸ Hydrotherapy | $210 per session |
▸ Equipment Trial and Prescriptions | $340 per prescription |
▸ Occupational Therapy | $660 for initial session $880 for initial session (complex needs or home modifications) $220 per ongoing session |
▸ Podiatry | $327 for initial session $220 per ongoing session $252 per session including nail trim |
▸ Speech Pathology | $670 for initial session $240 per ongoing session |
▸ Psychology | $450 for initial session $260 per ongoing session |
▸ Dietetics or Nutrition | $365 for initial session $210 per ongoing session |
▸ Counselling/Psychotherapy | $210 per session |
▸ Exercise Physiology | $194 per session |
▸ Social Work | $210 per session |
▸ Music Therapy | $210 per session |
Care Management | $120 |
Restorative Care Management | $158 |
Notes
- The prices displayed are for Monday to Friday, 6am – 8pm. For the full price list, download the full PDF by clicking here.
- The administration fee covers the work we do behind the scenes: a Care Manager checks the service suits you, we check suppliers, meet safety rules and handle invoices.
How does Esse Care compare with other providers in the industry?
Comparing Price
Based on aggregated pricing from the published Support at Home price lists of other providers, effective 1 July 2026
Esse Care | Other Providers | |
|---|---|---|
Domestic Assistance and Cleaning | $99 | $116 – $126 |
Personal Care, Social and Community Support | $105 | $124 – $134 |
Physiotherapy | $194 | $235 – $284 |
Occupational Therapy | $220 | $235 – $284 |
Nursing Care from Registered Nurse | $173 | $198 – $224 |
Care Management | $120 | $152 – $175 |
Comparing Hours of Supports You Will Receive
Annual Budget | Esse Care | Other Providers | |
|---|---|---|---|
Home Care Packages | |||
Level 1 | $11,272 | ~3.7 hours | ~3.1 hours |
Level 2 | $19,821 | ~6.5 hours | ~5.5 hours |
Level 3 | $43,148 | ~14.2 hours | ~12 hours |
Level 4 | $65,415 | ~21.6 hours | ~18.3 hours |
Support at Home | |||
Level 1 | $11,010 | ~3.6 hours | ~3.1 hours |
Level 2 | $16,451 | ~5.4 hours | ~4.6 hours |
Level 3 | $22,536 | ~7.4 hours | ~6.3 hours |
Level 4 | $30,468 | ~10 hours | ~8.5 hours |
Level 5 | $40,729 | ~13.4 hours | ~11.4 hours |
Level 6 | $49,365 | ~16.3 hours | ~13.8 hours |
Level 7 | $59,660 | ~19.7 hours | ~16.7 hours |
Level 8 | $80,137 | ~26.4 hours | ~22.4 hours |
Frequently Asked Questions on Pricing
Will I contribute to the cost of my care?
It depends. Some services need a contribution from you, and we will always explain this before your services begin. How much depends on your income, your assets and the type of service.
Clinical services are fully funded for you (0%). Independence and everyday living services may need a contribution. It is worked out as a percentage of the service price.
Why are Support at Home services divided into different categories?
The Government pays differently for each group: clinical (nursing and health care), independence (like personal care) and everyday living (like cleaning). The group decides how much the Government pays and how much you may pay.
Can I self-manage my Support at Home services?
Yes. You can self-manage all or part of your Support at Home services. For example, you can use our support worker and arrange your own gardener. You agree the gardener’s rate, and we pay them from your funding at their cost plus a 10% administration fee.
Do all Support at Home providers charge similar prices?
No. Prices differ between providers, because each has different costs. Higher prices use up your funding faster, so it pays to compare. Esse Care aims to keep its prices fair and its statements clear, so your funding lasts as long as it can.
What Are Participant Contributions?
The Australian Government may pay for all of a service, or part of it. You pay the rest. This is called a participant contribution. Services Australia sets the rate, not us. It depends on:
- The type of service you receive.
- Your income and assets, as recorded with Services Australia.
- When you were approved for aged care.
Clinical Services | Independence Services | Everyday Living Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
Full Pensioner | 0% | 5% | 17.5% |
Part Pensioner | 0% | Between 5% and 50% | Between 17.5% and 80% |
Self-funded or means not disclosed | 0% | 50% | 80% |
Frequently Asked Questions on Participant Contributions
Is Support at Home free?
Not for everyone. The Government pays for all clinical services. Most people pay something towards independence and everyday living services, based on their income and assets.
What determines how much I need to contribute?
Three things: the type of service, your income and assets (Services Australia checks these, and for pensioners they can usually use details they already hold), and when you were approved for aged care. People who had, or were approved for, a Home Care Package on or before 12 September 2024 may be protected by the “no worse off” rule.
What are the three Support at Home service categories?
- Clinical Supports – These include services such as nursing care and nutrition supports. The participant contribution is 0%, meaning these services are fully funded by the Australian Government when approved under your Support at Home plan.
- Independence – These include services such as personal care, respite and transport. Contribution rates currently range from 5% to 50%, depending on your financial circumstances.
- Everyday Living – These include services such as cleaning, domestic assistance, home maintenance and repairs.
How are individual contributions calculated? (with an example)
What is the 'no worse off' principle?
The no worse off principle protects certain people who were already receiving or approved for aged care before the new arrangements were introduced.
It generally applies to people who were:
- receiving a Home Care Package on 12 September 2024, or
- approved for a Home Care Package by 12 September 2024 and waiting for funding.
If you are covered by these arrangements, different contribution rules may apply to you.
How can I estimate my Support at Home contribution?
The Australian Government provides an official Support at Home Fee Estimator and Budget Planner through My Aged Care.
The estimator can help you understand:
- your estimated contribution rates
- how much the Government may contribute
- how different services affect your budget
- your estimated monthly or quarterly costs.
Use the Australian Government Support at Home Fee Estimator →
Your final contribution rates are determined by Services Australia.
We're here to help
Have a question or just comparing providers? Call us on 1300 662 339, email info@essecare.com.au, or enquire online.
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